Autophagy genes unc-51 and bec-1 are required for normal cell size in Caenorhabditis elegans.
Here we show that in the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans mutational inactivation of two autophagy genes unc-51/atg1 and bec-1/atg6/beclin1 results in small body size without affecting cell number. Furthermore, loss-of-function mutations in unc-51 and bec-1 suppress the giant phenotype of mutant animals with aberrant insulin-like growth factor-1 (insulin/IGF-1) or transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-beta) signaling. This function for unc-51 and bec-1 in cell size control and their interaction with these two growth modulatory pathways may represent a link between the hormonal and nutritional regulation of cell growth.
Aladzsity
István
I
Department of Genetics, Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest, Hungary.
Tóth
Márton L
ML
Sigmond
Tímea
T
Szabó
Emese
E
Bicsák
Bertalan
B
Barna
János
J
Regos
Agnes
A
Orosz
László
L
Kovács
Attila L
AL
Vellai
Tibor
T
D000818:Animals; D001343:Autophagy; D017173:Caenorhabditis elegans / Q000166:cytology / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000378:metabolism; D029742:Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins / Q000502:physiology*; D048429:Cell Size; D009154:Mutation; D010641:Phenotype; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases / Q000502:physiology*; D013002:Somatomedins / Q000378:metabolism; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta / Q000378:metabolism; D033921:Vesicular Transport Proteins
D029742:Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins; D013002:Somatomedins; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta; D033921:Vesicular Transport Proteins; C477268:bec-1 protein, C elegans; C112443:UNC-51 protein, C elegans; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases