The forkhead gene family of Caenorhabditis elegans

Hope, Ian A.; Mounsey, Andrew; Bauer, Petra; Aslam, Sobia

doi:10.1016/s0378-1119(02)01175-7

Cited by 44 publications

(38 citation statements)

References 38 publications

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“…Mutagenesis reactions were performed using the QuickChangeII XL Site-Directed Mutagenesis Kit (Stratagene). Some gfp reporter constructs were kindly provided by members of the worm community; these include ceh-38ϻgfp (Cassata et al 1998), hlh-10ϻgfp (Portman and Emmons 2004), fkh-8ϻgfp (Hope et al 2003), dsc-1ϻgfp (Branicky and Hekimi 2005), and nhr-50ϻgfp (Miyabayashi et al 1999). All reporter constructs were injected or crossed into otIs151 to allow for easy identification of ASEL/R.…”

Section: Dna Constructsmentioning

confidence: 99%

The molecular signature and cis-regulatory architecture of a C. elegans gustatory neuron

Etchberger¹,

Lorch²,

Sleumer³

et al. 2007

Genes Dev.

159

272

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Taste receptor cells constitute a highly specialized cell type that perceives and conveys specific sensory information to the brain. The detailed molecular composition of these cells and the mechanisms that program their fate are, in general, poorly understood. We have generated serial analysis of gene expression (SAGE) libraries from two distinct populations of single, isolated sensory neuron classes, the gustatory neuron class ASE and the thermosensory neuron class AFD, from the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans. By comparing these two libraries, we have identified >1000 genes that define the ASE gustatory neuron class on a molecular level. This set of genes contains determinants of the differentiated state of the ASE neuron, such as a surprisingly complex repertoire of transcription factors (TFs), ion channels, neurotransmitters, and receptors, as well as seven-transmembrane receptor (7TMR)-type putative gustatory receptor genes. Through the in vivo dissection of the cis-regulatory regions of several ASE-expressed genes, we identified a small cis-regulatory motif, the "ASE motif," that is required for the expression of many ASE-expressed genes. We demonstrate that the ASE motif is a binding site for the C2H2 zinc finger TF CHE-1, which is essential for the correct differentiation of the ASE gustatory neuron. Taken together, our results provide a unique view of the molecular landscape of a single neuron type and reveal an important aspect of the regulatory logic for gustatory neuron specification in C. elegans.[Keywords: Caenorhabditis elegans; development; gustatory neuron; transcription factor] Supplemental material is available at http://www.genesdev.org.

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Section: Dna Constructsmentioning

confidence: 99%

The molecular signature and cis-regulatory architecture of a C. elegans gustatory neuron

Etchberger¹,

Lorch²,

Sleumer³

et al. 2007

Genes Dev.

159

272

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

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“…As the forkhead transcription factor required for lag-2 IL2-specific expression during the dauer stage is likely to be expressed in the same neurons as lag-2, we examined the expression pattern of all the C. elegans forkhead genes during the dauer stage by using a series of GFP-reporter strains (Hope et al, 2003;Mango et al, 1994) (Fig. 3A).…”

Section: Unc-130 Is Required To Repress Lag-2 Expression During Repromentioning

confidence: 99%

Notch signalling is required for both dauer maintenance and recovery inC. elegans

Ouellet

Roy

2008

Development

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The Notch signalling pathway is conserved among higher metazoans and is used repeatedly throughout development to specify distinct cell fates among populations of equipotent cells. Mounting evidence suggests that Notch signalling may also be crucial in neuronal function in postmitotic, differentiated neurons. Here, we demonstrate a novel role for the canonical Notch signalling pathway in postmitotic neurons during a specialised 'diapause-like' post-embryonic developmental stage in C. elegans called dauer. Our data suggest that cell signalling downstream of the developmental decision to enter dauer leads to the activation of Notchresponding genes in postmitotic neurons. Consistent with this, we demonstrate that glp-1, one of the two C. elegans Notch receptors, and its ligand lag-2 are expressed in neurons during the dauer stage, and both genes are required to maintain this stage in a daf-7/TGFβ dauer constitutive background. Our genetic data also suggest that a second Notch receptor, lin-12, functions upstream of, or in parallel with, insulin-like signalling components in response to replete growth conditions to promote dauer recovery. Based on our findings, cues associated with the onset of dauer ultimately trigger a glp-1-dependent Notch signalling cascade in neurons to maintain this developmental state. Then, as growth conditions improve, activation of the LIN-12 Notch receptor cooperates with the insulin-like signalling pathway to signal recovery from the dauer stage.

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“…The gene identified was fkh-6, one of a previously described family of C. elegans forkhead-related genes (Hope et al, 2003). The FKH-6 protein contains 323 amino acids, including a 96 amino acid region with high similarity to the DNA-binding domain of the forkhead/wingedhelix family of transcription factors (Hope et al, 2003;Weigel and Jackle, 1990) (Fig.…”

Section: A Forkhead Transcription Factor Required For Male Gonadal Momentioning

confidence: 99%

“…It is difficult to assess whether gonadal regulation by fkh-6 and Foxl2 in different phyla reflects evolutionary conservation or is an example of convergent evolution. C. briggsae has an unambiguous fkh-6 homolog (Hope et al, 2003), but sequence conservation of the forkhead domain is insufficient for robust phylogenetic analysis in more distant species, and FKH-6 lacks other conserved sequence motifs that might aid in identifying orthologs.…”

Section: Fkh-6 Links Global and Organ-specific Sex Determinationmentioning

confidence: 99%

A forkhead protein controls sexual identity of theC. elegansmale somatic gonad

et al. 2004

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In sex determination, globally acting genes control a spectrum of tissue-specific regulators to coordinate the overall development of an animal into one sex or the other. In mammals, primary sex determination initially occurs in the gonad, with the sex of other tissues specified as a secondary event. In insects and nematodes, globally acting regulatory pathways have been elucidated, but the more tissue- and organ-specific downstream effectors of these pathways remain largely unknown. We focus on the control of sexual dimorphism in the C. elegans gonad. We find that the forkhead transcription factor FKH-6 promotes male gonadal cell fates in XO animals. Loss-of-function fkh-6 mutant males have feminized gonads and often develop a vulva. In these mutant males, sex-specific cell divisions and migrations in the early gonad occur in the hermaphrodite mode, and hermaphrodite-specific gonadal markers are expressed. However, sexual transformation is not complete and the male gonad is malformed. By contrast, fkh-6 mutant hermaphrodites exhibit no sign of sex reversal. Most fkh-6 hermaphrodites form a two-armed symmetrical gonad resembling that of the wild type, but differentiation of the spermatheca and uterus is variably abnormal. The function of fkh-6 appears to be restricted to the gonad: fkh-6 mutants have no detectable defects in extra-gonadal tissues, and expression of a rescuing fkh-6 reporter is gonad-specific. Genetic and molecular analyses place fkh-6 downstream of tra-1, the terminal regulator of the global sex determination pathway, with respect to the first gonadal cell division. We conclude that fkh-6 regulates gonadogenesis in both sexes, but is male specific in establishing sexual dimorphism in the early gonad.

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The forkhead gene family of Caenorhabditis elegans

Cited by 44 publications

References 38 publications

The molecular signature and cis-regulatory architecture of a C. elegans gustatory neuron

The molecular signature and cis-regulatory architecture of a C. elegans gustatory neuron

Notch signalling is required for both dauer maintenance and recovery inC. elegans

A forkhead protein controls sexual identity of theC. elegansmale somatic gonad

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