title: CWN-1 functions with DSH-2 to regulate C. elegans asymmetric neuroblast division in a beta-catenin independent Wnt pathway.
abstract: In Caenorhabditis elegans, Wnt signaling regulates many asymmetric cell divisions. During embryogenesis, the C. elegans Dishevelled (Dsh) homolog, DSH-2, regulates asymmetric neuroblast division of the ABpl/rpppa blast cell. Dsh is a key intracellular component of both beta-catenin dependent and beta-catenin independent Wnt pathways. In C. elegans, most of the well-characterized asymmetric cell divisions regulated by Wnts are dependent on beta-catenin. In the ABpl/rpppa neuroblast division, however, we determined that DSH-2 regulates cell polarity through a beta-catenin independent Wnt pathway. We also established that the C. elegans Wnt homolog, cwn-1, functions to regulate asymmetric division of the ABpl/rpppa blast cell. Our results indicated that cwn-1 does not act alone in this process, and it functions with another redundant ligand that appears not to be a Wnt. Finally, we show widespread requirements for DSH-2 during embryogenesis in the generation of many other neurons. In particular, DSH-2 function is necessary for the correct production of the embryonic ventral cord motor neurons. This study demonstrates a role for DSH-2 and Wnt signaling in neuronal specification during C. elegans embryogenesis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, BC, Canada.
authors.forename: Kyla
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hingwing
authors.forename: Sam
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Lani
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Nykilchuk
authors.forename: Tim
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Walston
authors.forename: Jeff
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hardin
authors.forename: Nancy
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Hawkins
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D030801:Animals, Genetically Modified; D019521:Body Patterning / Q000502:physiology; D017173:Caenorhabditis elegans / Q000166:cytology / Q000196:embryology / Q000502:physiology*; D029742:Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D018797:Cell Cycle Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D002455:Cell Division; D019070:Cell Lineage; D016764:Cell Polarity / Q000502:physiology; D003598:Cytoskeletal Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D000072261:Dishevelled Proteins; D006609:High Mobility Group Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D009046:Motor Neurons / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology*; D055495:Neurogenesis / Q000502:physiology; D017434:Protein Structure, Tertiary; D015398:Signal Transduction; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D051153:Wnt Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D051176:beta Catenin / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: C526268:CWN-1 protein, C elegans; D029742:Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins; D018797:Cell Cycle Proteins; D003598:Cytoskeletal Proteins; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D000072261:Dishevelled Proteins; D006609:High Mobility Group Proteins; C502083:Sys-1 protein, C elegans; D014157:Transcription Factors; C120104:WRM-1 protein, C elegans; D051153:Wnt Proteins; D051176:beta Catenin; C505142:dsh-2 protein, C elegans; C096787:pop-1 protein, C elegans