Developmental timing in C. elegans is regulated by kin-20 and tim-1, homologs of core circadian clock genes.
In Caenorhabditis elegans, heterochronic genes constitute a developmental timer that specifies temporal cell fate selection. The heterochronic gene lin-42 is the C. elegans homolog of Drosophila and mammalian period, key regulators of circadian rhythms, which specify changes in behavior and physiology over a 24 hr day/night cycle. We show a role for two other circadian gene homologs, tim-1 and kin-20, in the developmental timer. Along with lin-42, tim-1 and kin-20, the C. elegans homologs of the Drosophila circadian clock genes timeless and doubletime, respectively, are required to maintain late-larval identity and prevent premature expression of adult cell fates. The molecular parallels between circadian and developmental timing pathways suggest the existence of a conserved molecular mechanism that may be used for different types of biological timing.
Banerjee
Diya
D
Department of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology, Yale University, P.O. Box 208103, New Haven, Connecticut 06520, USA.
Kwok
Alvin
A
Lin
Shin-Yi
SY
Slack
Frank J
FJ
D000818:Animals; D030801:Animals, Genetically Modified; D017173:Caenorhabditis elegans / Q000235:genetics* / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000378:metabolism; D029742:Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D048148:Casein Kinase Idelta / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D002940:Circadian Rhythm / Q000235:genetics*; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; D017238:Genes, Helminth; D007527:Isoenzymes / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D035683:MicroRNAs; D008954:Models, Biological; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009154:Mutation; D010641:Phenotype; D010802:Phylogeny; D034622:RNA Interference
D029742:Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins; D007527:Isoenzymes; D035683:MicroRNAs; C400537:TIM-1 protein, C elegans; C474488:let-7 microRNA, C elegans; D048148:Casein Kinase Idelta