Genetic analysis of the Caenorhabditis elegans pax-6 locus: roles of paired domain-containing and nonpaired domain-containing isoforms.
PAX-6 proteins are involved in eye and brain development in many animals. In the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans the pax-6 locus encodes multiple PAX-6 isoforms both with and without a paired domain. Mutations in the C. elegans pax-6 locus can be grouped into three classes. Mutations that affect paired domain-containing isoforms cause defects in epidermal morphogenesis, epidermal cell fates, and gonad cell migration and define the class I (vab-3) complementation group. The class II mutation mab-18(bx23) affects nonpaired domain-containing isoforms and transforms the fate of a sensory organ in the male tail. Class III mutations affect both paired domain and nonpaired domain isoforms; the most severe class III mutations are candidate null mutations in pax-6. Class III mutant phenotypes do not resemble a simple sum of class I and class II phenotypes. A comparison of class I and class III phenotypes indicates that PAX-6 isoforms can interact additively, synergistically, or antagonistically, depending on the cellular context.
Cinar
Hediye Nese
HN
Sinsheimer Laboratories, Department of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology, University of California, Santa Cruz, California 95064, USA.
Chisholm
Andrew D
AD
D000818:Animals; D017173:Caenorhabditis elegans / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D002465:Cell Movement / Q000502:physiology; D004817:Epidermis / Q000002:abnormalities / Q000196:embryology; D005091:Exons; D005136:Eye Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D018398:Homeodomain Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D000071841:PAX6 Transcription Factor; D051761:Paired Box Transcription Factors; D020033:Protein Isoforms / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D017434:Protein Structure, Tertiary; D012097:Repressor Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA
D005136:Eye Proteins; D018398:Homeodomain Proteins; D000071841:PAX6 Transcription Factor; D051761:Paired Box Transcription Factors; D020033:Protein Isoforms; D012097:Repressor Proteins