Genetics, Vol. 168, 817-830, October 2004, Copyright © 2004
doi:10.1534/genetics.104.029355

Caenorhabditis elegans atx-2 Promotes Germline Proliferation and the Oocyte Fate

* Department of Biology, Syracuse University, Syracuse, New York 13244
{dagger} Department of Genetics, Washington University School of Medicine, Saint Louis, Missouri 63110

1 Corresponding author: Department of Biology, Syracuse University, 108 College Place, Syracuse, NY 13244.
E-mail: emmaine{at}syr.edu

In the Caenorhabditis elegans germline, proliferation is induced by Notch-type signaling. Entry of germ cells into meiosis is triggered by activity of the GLD-1 and GLD-2 pathways, which function redundantly to promote meiosis and/or inhibit proliferation. Activation of the germline Notch-type receptor, GLP-1, ultimately inhibits the activities of the GLD-1 and GLD-2 pathways. We previously identified several ego (enhancer of glp-1) genes that promote germline proliferation and interact genetically with the GLP-1 signaling pathway. Here, we show that atx-2 is an ego gene. Our data suggest that ATX-2 is not a positive regulator of the GLP-1 signaling pathway and GLP-1 signaling is not the sole positive regulator of ATX-2 activity. Moreover, our data indicate that GLP-1 must have an additional function, which may be to repress activity of a third meiotic entry pathway that would work in parallel with the GLD-1 and GLD-2 pathways. In addition to its role in proliferation, ATX-2 acts downstream of FOG-2 to promote the female germline fate.




This article has been cited by other articles:


Home page
Hum Mol GenetHome page
I. Lastres-Becker, S. Brodesser, D. Lutjohann, M. Azizov, J. Buchmann, E. Hintermann, K. Sandhoff, A. Schurmann, J. Nowock, and G. Auburger
Insulin receptor and lipid metabolism pathology in ataxin-2 knock-out mice
Hum. Mol. Genet., May 15, 2008; 17(10): 1465 - 1481.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
GeneticsHome page
Y. Liu and E. M. Maine
The Bro1-Domain Protein, EGO-2, Promotes Notch Signaling in Caenorhabditis elegans
Genetics, August 1, 2007; 176(4): 2265 - 2277.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
GeneticsHome page
V. E. Vought, M. Ohmachi, M.-H. Lee, and E. M. Maine
EGO-1, a Putative RNA-Directed RNA Polymerase, Promotes Germline Proliferation in Parallel With GLP-1/Notch Signaling and Regulates the Spatial Organization of Nuclear Pore Complexes and Germline P Granules in Caenorhabditis elegans
Genetics, July 1, 2005; 170(3): 1121 - 1132.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]