The Caenorhabditis elegans ect-2 RhoGEF gene regulates cytokinesis and migration of epidermal P cells.
A reduction-of-function mutation in ect-2 was isolated as a suppressor of the Multivulva phenotype of a lin-31 mutation. Analysis using markers indicates that this mutation causes defects in both the cytokinesis and migration of epidermal P cells, phenotypes similar to those caused by expressing a rho-1 dominant-negative construct. ect-2 encodes the Caenorhabditis elegans orthologue of the mouse Ect2 and Drosophila Pebble that function as guanine nucleotide exchange factors (GEFs) for Rho GTPases. The ect-2Colon, two colonsGFP reporter is expressed in embryonic cells and P cells. RNA interference of ect-2 causes sterility and embryonic lethality, in addition to the P-cell defects. We have determined the lesions of two ect-2 alleles, and described their differences in phenotypes in specific tissues. We propose a model in which ECT-2GEF not only activates RHO-1 for P-cell cytokinesis, but also collaborates with UNC-73GEF and at least two Rac proteins to regulate P-cell migration.
Morita
Kiyokazu
K
Department of MCD Biology, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of Colorado, Boulder, Colorado 80309, USA.
Hirono
Keiko
K
Han
Min
M
D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D017173:Caenorhabditis elegans / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology; D029742:Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D002465:Cell Movement; D002874:Chromosome Mapping; D002875:Chromosomes; D016384:Consensus Sequence; D048749:Cytokinesis; D004847:Epithelial Cells / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D017238:Genes, Helminth; D017930:Genes, Reporter; D005819:Genetic Markers; D049452:Green Fluorescent Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D020662:Guanine Nucleotide Exchange Factors / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D008954:Models, Biological; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic; D017434:Protein Structure, Tertiary; D064067:Rho Guanine Nucleotide Exchange Factors; D017384:Sequence Deletion
D029742:Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins; C507872:Ect-2 protein, C elegans; D005819:Genetic Markers; D020662:Guanine Nucleotide Exchange Factors; D064067:Rho Guanine Nucleotide Exchange Factors; D049452:Green Fluorescent Proteins