title: A possible role for FRM-1, a C. elegans FERM family protein, in embryonic development.
abstract: FRM-1 is a member of the FERM protein superfamily containing a FERM domain, which is a highly conserved protein-protein interaction module found in most eukaryotes. Although FRM-1 is thought to be involved in linking intracellular proteins to membrane proteins, the specific role for FRM-1 remains to be elucidated. In an effort to explore the biological function of FRM-1, we examined the phenotype of frm-1(tm4168) mutant worms. We observed that frm-1(tm4168) worms have a delayed hatching phenotype. Twelve hours after being laid, when virtually all wild-type eggs had hatched, only 64% of frm-1(tm4168) eggs had hatched. About 3% of frm-1(tm4168) eggs failed to hatch, even 3 days after they had been laid. We also found that frm-1(tm4168) mutants displayed a temperature-sensitive sterility phenotype. About 13% of frm-1(tm4168) worms were unable to produce eggs or produced nonviable eggs at 25°C. In contrast, less than 1% of wild-type animals were sterile at this temperature. At 20°C, neither the mutant nor wild type appeared to be sterile. Western blot analysis indicates that FRM-1 is expressed throughout the developmental stages with the strongest expression at the egg stage. Immunostaining experiments revealed that FRM-1 is mainly localized to the plasma membrane of most if not all cells at an early embryonic stage and to the plasma membrane of P cells during the late embryonic stages. GFP fusion experiments showed that FRM-1 can be expressed in the pharynx and intestine at the larval and adult stages. Our data suggest that FRM-1 may participate in diverse biological processes, including embryonic development.
authors: Department of Biochemistry, College of Natural Sciences, Chungbuk National University, Cheongju 361-763, Korea.
authors: Boram
authors: B
authors: Choi
authors: Junsu
authors: J
authors: Kang
authors: Yang-Seo
authors: YS
authors: Park
authors: Junho
authors: J
authors: Lee
authors: Nam Jeong
authors: NJ
authors: Cho
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017173:Caenorhabditis elegans / Q000196:embryology* / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D029742:Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D047108:Embryonic Development / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; D010641:Phenotype
chemical_list: D029742:Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins