title: Polycomb-like genes are necessary for specification of dopaminergic and serotonergic neurons in Caenorhabditis elegans.
abstract: The molecular mechanisms underlying the formation of neurons with defined neurotransmitters are not well understood. In this study, we demonstrate that the PcG-like genes in Caenorhabditis elegans, sop-2 and sor-3, regulate the formation of dopaminergic and serotonergic neurons and several other neuronal properties. sor-3 encodes a novel protein containing an MBT repeat, a domain that contains histone-binding activity and is present in PcG proteins SCM and Sfmbt in other organisms. We further show that mutations in sor-3 lead to ectopic expression of Hox genes and cause homeotic transformations. Specification of certain neuronal identities by these PcG-like genes appears to involve regulation of non-Hox gene targets. Our studies revealed that the PcG-like genes are crucial for coordinately regulating the expression of discrete aspects of neuronal identities in C. elegans.
authors.affiliation: National Institute of Biological Sciences, Zhongguancun Life Science Park, No. 7 Science Park Road, Beijing 102206, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Yong
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Yinyan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.forename: Xin
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Luo
authors.forename: Yuxia
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Yaoyao
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Tian
authors.forename: Robyn
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Lints
authors.forename: Hong
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Zhang
mesh_terms: D020816:Amino Acid Motifs; D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D017173:Caenorhabditis elegans / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000378:metabolism*; D029742:Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D004298:Dopamine / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D016346:Gene Products, vif / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D018398:Homeodomain Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009154:Mutation / Q000235:genetics; D009474:Neurons / Q000378:metabolism*; D010641:Phenotype; D012097:Repressor Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D016415:Sequence Alignment; D017386:Sequence Homology, Amino Acid; D012701:Serotonin / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D015398:Signal Transduction; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D029742:Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; C477318:Egl-5 protein, C elegans; D016346:Gene Products, vif; D018398:Homeodomain Proteins; D012097:Repressor Proteins; C475806:Sop-2 protein, C elegans; C517395:Sor-3 protein, C elegans; D014157:Transcription Factors; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta; C108673:lin-39 protein, C elegans; D012701:Serotonin; D004298:Dopamine