Caenorhabditis elegans dpy-14: an essential collagen gene with unique expression profile and physiological roles in early development.
We describe the molecular characterisation of Caenorhabditis elegans dpy-14, a gene encoding an essential cuticular collagen annotated as col-59. Expression of dpy-14 starts at the 16 E cell stage, making it the earliest-expressing collagen reported to date. SAGE data and dpy-14 promoter::GFP reporter constructs indicate that the gene is transcribed mainly during embryogenesis, specifically in ciliated neurons and hypoderm. Water permeability assays and lectin staining showed that a mutation in the DPY-14 collagen results in defects in the channels of the amphids, which are a class of ciliated neuron, while the amphids appear morphologically normal by dye filling methods. Behavioural assays showed that the ciliated neurons expressing the gene are functional in dpy-14 mutants. All together, our data suggest that ciliated neurons and their hypodermal support cells collaborate in the transcription and synthesis of DPY-14, which then becomes a component of the amphid channels but not of the amphids proper. Interestingly, seam cells of dpy-14 mutants do not properly fuse to form a syncytium. This novel phenotype due to collagen mutations further stresses that dpy-14 plays a fundamental role in C. elegans physiology, since it is required for the proper development of the hypoderm.
Gallo
Marco
M
Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, Simon Fraser University, 8888 University Drive, V5A 1S6, Burnaby, BC, Canada.
Mah
Allan K
AK
Johnsen
Robert C
RC
Rose
Ann M
AM
Baillie
David L
DL
D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D030801:Animals, Genetically Modified; D017173:Caenorhabditis elegans / Q000235:genetics* / Q000254:growth & development; D029742:Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics*; D020869:Gene Expression Profiling; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009154:Mutation; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic; D017386:Sequence Homology, Amino Acid
D029742:Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins