Null Mutations in the lin-31 Gene Indicate Two Functions During Caenorhabditis elegans Vulval Development

Corresponding author: Leilani M. Miller, Department of Biology, 500 El Camino Real, Santa Clara University, Santa Clara, CA 95053., lmiller{at}scu.edu (E-mail)

Communicating editor: R. K. HERMAN

The lin-31 gene is required for the proper specification of vulval cell fates in the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans and encodes a member of the winged-helix family of transcription factors. Members of this important family have been identified in many organisms and are known to bind specific DNA targets involved in a variety of developmental processes. DNA sequencing of 13 lin-31 alleles revealed six nonsense mutations and two missense mutations within the DNA-binding domain, plus three deletions, one transposon insertion, and one frameshift mutation that all cause large-scale disruptions in the gene. The missense mutations are amino acid substitutions in the DNA-binding domain and probably disrupt interactions of the LIN-31 transcription factor with its DNA target. In addition, detailed phenotypic analysis of all 19 alleles showed similar penetrances for several characteristics examined. From our analysis we conclude: (1) the null phenotype of lin-31 is the phenotype displayed by almost all of the existing alleles, (2) the DNA-binding domain plays a critical role in LIN-31 function, and (3) direct screens for multivulva and vulvaless mutants will probably yield only null (or strong) alleles of lin-31.

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