gon-14 functions with class B and class C synthetic multivulva genes to control larval growth in Caenorhabditis elegans.
Previous work showed that C. elegans gon-14 is required for gonadogenesis. Here we report that gon-14 encodes a protein with similarity to LIN-15B, a class B synMuv protein. An extensive region of GON-14 contains blocks of sequence similarity to transposases of the hAT superfamily, but key residues are not conserved, suggesting a distant relationship. GON-14 also contains a putative THAP DNA-binding domain. A rescuing gon-14::GON-14::VENUS reporter is broadly expressed during development and localizes to the nucleus. Strong loss-of-function and predicted null gon-14 alleles have pleiotropic defects, including multivulval (Muv) defects and temperature-sensitive larval arrest. Although the gon-14 Muv defect is not enhanced by synMuv mutations, gon-14 interacts genetically with class B and class C synMuv genes, including lin-35/Rb, let-418/Mi-2beta, and trr-1/TRRAP. The gon-14; synMuv double mutants arrest as larvae when grown under conditions supporting development to adulthood for the respective single mutants. The gon-14 larval arrest is suppressed by loss of mes-2/E(Z), mes-6/ESC, or mes-4, which encodes a SET domain protein. Additionally, gon-14 affects expression of pgl-1 and lag-2, two genes regulated by the synMuv genes. We suggest that gon-14 functions with class B and class C synMuv genes to promote larval growth, in part by antagonizing MES-2,3,6/ESC-E(z) and MES-4.
Chesney
Michael A
MA
Department of Biochemistry, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin 53706-1544, USA.
Kidd
Ambrose R
AR
Kimble
Judith
J
D000483:Alleles; D020816:Amino Acid Motifs; D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D017173:Caenorhabditis elegans / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development*; D029742:Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D002352:Carrier Proteins; D018797:Cell Cycle Proteins / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D002455:Cell Division / Q000235:genetics; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000172:deficiency / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental / Q000502:physiology; D017238:Genes, Helminth; D007814:Larva / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009687:Nuclear Proteins / Q000172:deficiency / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D017434:Protein Structure, Tertiary; D017386:Sequence Homology, Amino Acid; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000737:chemistry / Q000502:physiology; D014844:Vulva / Q000254:growth & development / Q000502:physiology*
D029742:Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins; D002352:Carrier Proteins; D018797:Cell Cycle Proteins; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; C495589:GON-14 protein, C elegans; D009687:Nuclear Proteins; D014157:Transcription Factors; C088819:lin-15B protein, C elegans