title: Molecular characterization of the Caenorhabditis elegans REF-1 family member, hlh-29/hlh-28.
abstract: Members of the Caenorhabditis elegans REF-1 family of bHLH proteins are atypical in that each protein contains two bHLH domains. In this study we describe a functional and molecular characterization of the REF-1 family members, hlh-29/hlh-28. 5'-RACE results confirm the presence of two bHLH domain coding regions in a single transcript and quantitative PCR (qPCR) shows that hlh-29/hlh-28 mRNA is detected in wild-type animals throughout development. A promoter fusion of hlh-29 to the green fluorescent protein shows post-embryonic reporter activity in cells of the vulva, the somatic gonad, the intestine and in neuronal cells of the head and tail. Loss of hlh-29/hlh-28 function via RNA interference (RNAi) results in multiple phenotypes including late embryonic lethality, yolk protein accumulation, everted vulva, bordering behavior, and alter chemosensory responses.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, School of Computer, Mathematical, and Natural Sciences, Morgan State University, 1700 E. Coldspring Lane, Baltimore, MD 21251, USA.
authors.forename: Tracee L
authors.initials: TL
authors.lastname: McMiller
authors.forename: Denise
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Sims
authors.forename: Tameshia
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Tiffany
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Williams
authors.forename: Casonya M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Johnson
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D051792:Basic Helix-Loop-Helix Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics* / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000502:physiology*; D029742:Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics* / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000502:physiology*; D004625:Embryo, Nonmammalian; D047108:Embryonic Development / Q000235:genetics; D005260:Female; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; D006066:Gonads / Q000196:embryology / Q000378:metabolism; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009474:Neurons / Q000378:metabolism; D034622:RNA Interference; D014018:Tissue Distribution; D014844:Vulva / Q000196:embryology / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D051792:Basic Helix-Loop-Helix Proteins; D029742:Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins; C518215:HLH-28 protein, C elegans; C518216:HLH-29 protein, C elegans