Axial patterning of C. elegans male sensilla identities by selector genes |
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Authors: | Lints R Jia L Kim K Li C Emmons S W |
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Institution: | a Department of Molecular Genetics, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY 10461, USA b Department of Biology, 5 Cummington St., Boston, MA 02215, USA |
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Abstract: | The fan and rays of the C. elegans male tail constitute a compound sensory organ essential for mating. Within this organ, the individual sensilla, known as rays, have unique identities. We show that ray identities are patterned by a selector gene mechanism in a manner similar to other serially homologous axial structures. One selector gene that promotes the identities of a subset of the rays is the Hox gene egl-5. Within EGL-5-expressing rays, further patterning is provided by a Pax-6 homolog and a signal of the TGFβ family. These genes and pathway coordinately specify multiple ray properties affecting all three terminal ray cell types. These properties include complex patterns of FMRFamide-like (FaRP) neuropeptides, serotonin (5HT) and dopamine expression, and ray morphology. Differences in these differentiated characteristics give each sensillum a unique identity and potentially endow the compound ray organ with a higher-order information gathering capacity. |
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Keywords: | C elegans Neuron subtype Neurotransmitter Dopamine Serotonin FMRFamide Hox Pax-6 TGFβ Male |
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