The conserved zinc finger protein VAB-23 is an essential regulator of epidermal morphogenesis in Caenorhabditis elegans.
Caenorhabditis elegans is an excellent model to observe cell movements and shape changes during the morphogenesis of the egg-shaped embryo into an elongated tube-like larva. Although much is known about the structural determinants involved in epidermal morphogenesis, relatively little is known about the transcriptional and post-transcriptional regulatory networks involved. Here, we describe the identification and functional characterization of the novel nuclear protein VAB-23, which belongs to a conserved protein family found in all metazoans. C. elegans VAB-23 is essential for ventral closure and elongation of the embryo. Time-lapse analysis indicates that VAB-23 is required for the formation of proper cell contacts between contralateral pairs of ventral epidermal cells. Tissue-specific rescue experiments reveal a function of VAB-23 in ventral neuroblasts that control the enclosure of the embryo by the overlaying epidermal cells. Finally, we provide evidence suggesting a role of VAB-23 in post-transcriptional gene regulation. We thus propose that VAB-23 regulates the expression of multiple secreted guidance cues in ventral neuroblasts that direct the migration of the overlaying epidermal cells. Members of the VAB-23 family may perform similar functions during morphogenesis in other metazoans.
The University of Melbourne, Department of Veterinary Science, Werribee, Victoria 3030, Australia.
Mark W
MW
Pellegrino
Robin B
RB
Gasser
Frank
F
Sprenger
Attila
A
Stetak
Alex
A
Hajnal
D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D017173:Caenorhabditis elegans / Q000196:embryology / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D029742:Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology; D002352:Carrier Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology; D017124:Conserved Sequence; D004625:Embryo, Nonmammalian / Q000196:embryology / Q000378:metabolism; D004817:Epidermis / Q000196:embryology / Q000378:metabolism*; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; D049452:Green Fluorescent Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D047908:Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; D018613:Microscopy, Confocal; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009024:Morphogenesis; D009687:Nuclear Proteins / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D010802:Phylogeny; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D017386:Sequence Homology, Amino Acid; D016335:Zinc Fingers
D029742:Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins; D002352:Carrier Proteins; D047908:Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; D009687:Nuclear Proteins; C546344:VAB-23 protein, C elegans; D049452:Green Fluorescent Proteins