Faculty Opinions recommendation of Notch-GATA synergy promotes endoderm-specific expression of ref-1 in C. elegans.

2007 ◽  
Author(s):  
Helen Chamberlin
Keyword(s):  
Specific Expression ◽  
C Elegans

scholarly journals pop-1/TCF, ref-2/ZIC and T-box factors regulate the development of anterior cells in the C. elegans embryo

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jonathan D Rumley ◽  
Elicia A Preston ◽  
Dylan Cook ◽  
Felicia L Peng ◽  
Amanda L Zacharias ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Wnt Pathway ◽  
Expression Patterns ◽  
Specific Expression ◽  
T Box ◽  
Animal Development ◽  
C Elegans ◽  
The Many ◽  
Necessary And Sufficient ◽  
Cell Division Timing ◽  
Anterior Posterior

Patterning of the anterior-posterior axis is fundamental to animal development. The Wnt pathway plays a major role in this process by activating the expression of posterior genes in animals from worms to humans. This observation raises the question of whether the Wnt pathway or other regulators control the expression of the many anterior-expressed genes. We found that the expression of five anterior-specific genes in Caenorhabditis elegans embryos depends on the Wnt pathway effectors pop-1/TCF and sys-1/β-catenin. We focused further on one of these anterior genes, ref-2/ZIC, a conserved transcription factor expressed in multiple anterior lineages. Live imaging of ref-2 mutant embryos identified defects in cell division timing and position in anterior lineages. Cis-regulatory dissection identified three ref-2 transcriptional enhancers, one of which is necessary and sufficient for anterior-specific expression. This enhancer is activated by the T-box transcription factors TBX-37 and TBX-38, and surprisingly, concatemerized TBX-37/38 binding sites are sufficient to drive anterior-biased expression alone, despite the broad expression of TBX-37 and TBX-38. Taken together, our results highlight the diverse mechanisms used to regulate anterior expression patterns in the embryo.

Posterior pattern formation in C. elegans involves position-specific expression of a gene containing a homeobox

Cell ◽  
1988 ◽  
Vol 55 (5) ◽  
pp. 747-756 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael Costa ◽  
Michael Weir ◽  
Alan Coulson ◽  
John Sulston ◽  
Cynthia Kenyon
Keyword(s):  
Pattern Formation ◽  
Specific Expression ◽  
C Elegans

scholarly journals An economical and highly adaptable optogenetics system for individual and population-level manipulation of Caenorhabditis elegans

BMC Biology ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 19 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Koopman ◽  
L. Janssen ◽  
E. A. A. Nollen
Keyword(s):  
Caenorhabditis Elegans ◽  
Light Stimulus ◽  
Cholinergic Neurons ◽  
Model Organisms ◽  
Parameter Study ◽  
Multiple Model ◽  
Excitable Cells ◽  
Specific Expression ◽  
C Elegans ◽  
Age Related

Abstract Background Optogenetics allows the experimental manipulation of excitable cells by a light stimulus without the need for technically challenging and invasive procedures. The high degree of spatial, temporal, and intensity control that can be achieved with a light stimulus, combined with cell type-specific expression of light-sensitive ion channels, enables highly specific and precise stimulation of excitable cells. Optogenetic tools have therefore revolutionized the study of neuronal circuits in a number of models, including Caenorhabditis elegans. Despite the existence of several optogenetic systems that allow spatial and temporal photoactivation of light-sensitive actuators in C. elegans, their high costs and low flexibility have limited wide access to optogenetics. Here, we developed an inexpensive, easy-to-build, modular, and adjustable optogenetics device for use on different microscopes and worm trackers, which we called the OptoArm. Results The OptoArm allows for single- and multiple-worm illumination and is adaptable in terms of light intensity, lighting profiles, and light color. We demonstrate OptoArm’s power in a population-based multi-parameter study on the contributions of motor circuit cells to age-related motility decline. We found that individual components of the neuromuscular system display different rates of age-dependent deterioration. The functional decline of cholinergic neurons mirrors motor decline, while GABAergic neurons and muscle cells are relatively age-resilient, suggesting that rate-limiting cells exist and determine neuronal circuit ageing. Conclusion We have assembled an economical, reliable, and highly adaptable optogenetics system which can be deployed to address diverse biological questions. We provide a detailed description of the construction as well as technical and biological validation of our set-up. Importantly, use of the OptoArm is not limited to C. elegans and may benefit studies in multiple model organisms, making optogenetics more accessible to the broader research community.

scholarly journals Sexually dimorphic control of gene expression in sensory neurons regulates decision-making behavior in C. elegans

eLife ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 6 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zoë A Hilbert ◽  
Dennis H Kim
Keyword(s):  
Gene Expression ◽  
Decision Making ◽  
Sensory Neurons ◽  
Regulation Of Gene Expression ◽  
Sensory Information ◽  
Specific Expression ◽  
Control Of Gene Expression ◽  
Neuron Pair ◽  
C Elegans ◽  
Male Specific

Animal behavior is directed by the integration of sensory information from internal states and the environment. Neuroendocrine regulation of diverse behaviors of Caenorhabditis elegans is under the control of the DAF-7/TGF-β ligand that is secreted from sensory neurons. Here, we show that C. elegans males exhibit an altered, male-specific expression pattern of daf-7 in the ASJ sensory neuron pair with the onset of reproductive maturity, which functions to promote male-specific mate-searching behavior. Molecular genetic analysis of the switch-like regulation of daf-7 expression in the ASJ neuron pair reveals a hierarchy of regulation among multiple inputs—sex, age, nutritional status, and microbial environment—which function in the modulation of behavior. Our results suggest that regulation of gene expression in sensory neurons can function in the integration of a wide array of sensory information and facilitate decision-making behaviors in C. elegans.

scholarly journals Regulated Disruption of Inositol 1,4,5-Trisphosphate Signaling in Caenorhabditis elegans Reveals New Functions in Feeding and Embryogenesis

2002 ◽  
Vol 13 (4) ◽  
pp. 1329-1337 ◽  
Author(s):  
Denise S. Walker ◽  
Nicholas J.D. Gower ◽  
Sung Ly ◽  
Gemma L. Bradley ◽  
Howard A. Baylis
Keyword(s):  
Binding Domain ◽  
Dominant Negative ◽  
Dominant Negative Effect ◽  
Animal Cells ◽  
Specific Expression ◽  
C Elegans ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Inositol 1,4,5 Trisphosphate ◽  
Negative Effect ◽  
Pharyngeal Pumping

Inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate (IP3) is an important second messenger in animal cells and is central to a wide range of cellular responses. The major intracellular activity of IP3 is to regulate release of Ca2+ from intracellular stores through IP3 receptors (IP3Rs). We describe a system for the transient disruption of IP3 signaling in the model organismCaenorhabditis elegans. The IP3 binding domain of the C. elegans IP3R, ITR-1, was expressed from heat shock-induced promoters in live animals. This results in a dominant-negative effect caused by the overexpressed IP3 binding domain acting as an IP3“sponge.” Disruption of IP3 signaling resulted in disrupted defecation, a phenotype predicted by previous genetic studies. This approach also identified two new IP3-mediated processes. First, the up-regulation of pharyngeal pumping in response to food is dependent on IP3 signaling. RNA-mediated interference studies and analysis of itr-1mutants show that this process is also IP3R dependent. Second, the tissue-specific expression of the dominant-negative construct enabled us to circumvent the sterility associated with loss of IP3 signaling through the IP3R and thus determine that IP3-mediated signaling is required for multiple steps in embryogenesis, including cytokinesis and gastrulation.

A retrograde signal is involved in activity-dependent remodeling at a C. elegans neuromuscular junction

Development ◽  
2000 ◽  
Vol 127 (6) ◽  
pp. 1253-1266 ◽  
Author(s):  
H. Zhao ◽  
M.L. Nonet
Keyword(s):  
Motor Neurons ◽  
Synaptic Activity ◽  
Temperature Sensitive ◽  
Activity Levels ◽  
Synaptic Connections ◽  
Developmentally Regulated ◽  
Specific Expression ◽  
C Elegans ◽  
Larval Stages ◽  
Retrograde Signal

We have characterized how perturbations of normal synaptic activity influence the morphology of cholinergic SAB motor neurons that innervate head muscle in C. elegans. Mutations disrupting components of the presynaptic release apparatus, acetylcholine (ACh) synthesis or ACh loading into synaptic vesicles each induced sprouting of SAB axonal processes. These sprouts usually arose in the middle of the normal innervation zone and terminated with a single presynaptic varicosity. Sprouting SAB neurons with a similar morphology were also observed upon reducing activity in muscle, either by using mutants lacking a functional nicotinic ACh receptor subunit or through muscle-specific expression of a gain-of-function potassium channel. Analysis of temperature-sensitive mutants in the choline acetyltransferase gene revealed that the sprouting response to inactivity was developmentally regulated; reduction of synaptic activity in early larval stages, but not in late larval stages, induced both sprouting and addition of varicosities. Our results indicate that activity levels regulate the structure of certain synaptic connections between nerve and muscle in C. elegans. One component of this regulatory machinery is a retrograde signal from the postsynaptic cell that mediates the formation of synaptic connections.

FMRFamide-like peptides in root knot nematodes and their potential role in nematode physiology

2009 ◽  
Vol 84 (3) ◽  
pp. 253-265 ◽  
Author(s):  
M.J.G. Johnston ◽  
P. McVeigh ◽  
S. McMaster ◽  
C.C. Fleming ◽  
A.G. Maule
Keyword(s):  
Expression Patterns ◽  
Single Copy ◽  
The Novel ◽  
Specific Expression ◽  
Root Knot Nematodes ◽  
C Elegans ◽  
Free Living Nematode ◽  
Rapid Amplification ◽  
Race Pcr ◽  
High Degree

AbstractFMRFamide-like peptides (FLPs) are a diverse group of neuropeptides that are expressed abundantly in nematodes. They exert potent physiological effects on locomotory, feeding and reproductive musculature and also act as neuromodulators. However, little is known about the specific expression patterns and functions of individual peptides. The current study employed rapid amplification of cDNA ends-polymerase chain reaction (RACE-PCR) to characterizeflpgenes from infective juveniles of the root knot nematodes,Meloidogyne incognitaandMeloidogyne minor. The peptides identified from these transcripts are sequelogs of FLPs from the free-living nematode,Caenorhabditis elegans; the genes have therefore been designated asMi-flp-1,Mi-flp-7,Mi-flp-12,Mm-flp-12andMi-flp-14.Mi-flp-1encodes five FLPs with the common C-terminal moiety, NFLRFamide.Mi-flp-7encodes two copies of APLDRSALVRFamide and APLDRAAMVRFamide and one copy of APFDRSSMVRFamide.Mi-flp-12andMm-flp-12encode the novel peptide KNNKFEFIRFamide (a longer version of RNKFEFIRFamide found inC. elegans).Mi-flp-14encodes a single copy of KHEYLRFamide (commonly known as AF2 and regarded as the most abundant nematode FLP), and a single copy of the novel peptide KHEFVRFamide. These FLPs share a high degree of conservation betweenMeloidogynespecies and nematodes from other clades, including those of humans and animals, perhaps suggesting a common neurophysiological role which may be exploited by novel drugs. FLP immunoreactivity was observed for the first time inMeloidogyne, in the circumpharyngeal nerve ring, pharyngeal nerves and ventral nerve cord. Additionally,in situhybridization revealedMi-flp-12expression in an RIR-like neuron andMi-flp-14expression in SMB-like neurons‡, respectively. These localizations imply physiological roles for FLP-12 and FLP-14 peptides, including locomotion and sensory perception.

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