Mutations Affecting Symmetrical Migration of Distal Tip Cells in Caenorhabditis elegans

Corresponding author: Kiyoji Nishiwaki, NEC Corporation, Miyukigaoka, Tsukuba 305, Japan., nishiwak{at}frl.cl.nec.co.jp (E-mail)

Communicating editor: R. K. HERMAN

The rotational symmetry of the Caenorhabditis elegans gonad arms is generated by the symmetrical migration of two distal tip cells (DTCs), located on the anterior and posterior ends of the gonad primordium. Mutations that cause asymmetrical migration of the two DTCs were isolated. All seven mutations were recessive and assigned to six different complementation groups. vab-3(k121) and vab-3(k143) affected anterior DTC migration more frequently than posterior, although null mutants showed no bias. The other five mutations, mig-14(k124), mig-17(k113), mig-18(k140), mig-19(k142), and mig-20(k148), affected posterior DTC migration more frequently than anterior. These observations imply that the migration of each DTC is regulated differently. mig-14 and mig-19 also affected the migration of other cells in the posterior body region. Four distinct types of DTC migration abnormalities were defined on the basis of the mutant phenotypes. vab-3; mig-14 double mutants exhibited the types of DTC migration defects seen for vab-3 single mutants. Combination of mig-17 and mig-18 or mig-19, which are characterized by the same types of posterior DTC migration defects, exhibited strong enhancement of anterior DTC migration defects, suggesting that they affect the same or parallel pathways regulating anterior DTC migration.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				C. E. Caffaro, C. B. Hirschberg, and P. M. Berninsone Functional Redundancy between Two Caenorhabditis elegans Nucleotide Sugar Transporters with a Novel Transport Mechanism J. Biol. Chem., September 21, 2007; 282(38): 27970 - 27975. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				C. M. Meighan and J. E. Schwarzbauer Control of C. elegans hermaphrodite gonad size and shape by vab-3/Pax6-mediated regulation of integrin receptors Genes & Dev., July 1, 2007; 21(13): 1615 - 1620. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				E. J. Cram, H. Shang, and J. E. Schwarzbauer A systematic RNA interference screen reveals a cell migration gene network in C. elegans J. Cell Sci., December 1, 2006; 119(23): 4811 - 4818. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				Y. Kubota, M. Sano, S. Goda, N. Suzuki, and K. Nishiwaki The conserved oligomeric Golgi complex acts in organ morphogenesis via glycosylation of an ADAM protease in C. elegans Development, January 15, 2006; 133(2): 263 - 273. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				T. Kinnunen, Z. Huang, J. Townsend, M. M. Gatdula, J. R. Brown, J. D. Esko, and J. E. Turnbull Heparan 2-O-sulfotransferase, hst-2, is essential for normal cell migration in Caenorhabditis elegans PNAS, February 1, 2005; 102(5): 1507 - 1512. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				S. P. Curran, E. P. Leverich, C. M. Koehler, and P. L. Larsen Defective Mitochondrial Protein Translocation Precludes Normal Caenorhabditis elegans Development J. Biol. Chem., December 24, 2004; 279(52): 54655 - 54662. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				H. N. Cinar and A. D. Chisholm Genetic Analysis of the Caenorhabditis elegans pax-6 Locus: Roles of Paired Domain-Containing and Nonpaired Domain-Containing Isoforms Genetics, November 1, 2004; 168(3): 1307 - 1322. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				E. J. Cram, S. G. Clark, and J. E. Schwarzbauer Talin loss-of-function uncovers roles in cell contractility and migration in C. elegans J. Cell Sci., October 1, 2003; 116(19): 3871 - 3878. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				D. M. Eisenmann and S. K. Kim Protruding Vulva Mutants Identify Novel Loci and Wnt Signaling Factors That Function During Caenorhabditis elegans Vulva Development Genetics, November 1, 2000; 156(3): 1097 - 1116. [Abstract] [Full Text]

				K. Nishiwaki, N. Hisamoto, and K. Matsumoto A Metalloprotease Disintegrin That Controls Cell Migration in Caenorhabditis elegans Science, June 23, 2000; 288(5474): 2205 - 2208. [Abstract] [Full Text]