Genetics. Published Articles Ahead of Print: December 1, 2005, Copyright © 2005
doi:10.1534/genetics.105.048751


A more recent version of this article appeared on February 1, 2006.


REGULAR RESEARCH PAPERS

gon-14 functions with class B and C synMuv genes to control larval growth in C. elegans

1 University of Wisconsin

* To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail: jekimble{at}facstaff.wisc.edu.

Submitted on November 9, 2005
Revised on November 9, 2005
Accepted on 9 November 2005


Abstract

Previous work showed that C. elegans gon-14 is required for gonadogenesis. Here we report that gon-14 encodes a protein with similarity to LIN-15B, a class B synMuv protein. An extensive region of GON-14 contains blocks of sequence similarity to transposases of the hAT superfamily, but key residues are not conserved, suggesting a distant relationship. GON-14 also contains a putative THAP DNA-binding domain. A rescuing gon-14::GON-14::VENUS reporter is broadly expressed during development, and localizes to the nucleus. Strong loss-of-function and predicted null gon-14 alleles have pleiotropic defects, including multivulval (Muv) defects and temperature-sensitive larval arrest. Although the gon-14 Muv defect is not enhanced by synMuv mutations, gon-14 interacts genetically with class B and class C synMuv genes, including lin-35/Rb, let-418/Mi-2{beta}, and trr-1/TRRAP. The gon-14; synMuv double mutants arrest as larvae when grown under conditions supporting development to adulthood for the respective single mutants. The gon-14 larval arrest is suppressed by loss of mes-2/E(Z), mes-6/ESC, or mes-4, which encodes a SET domain protein. Additionally, gon-14 affects expression of pgl-1 and lag-2, two genes regulated by the synMuv genes. We suggest that gon-14 functions with class B and C synMuv genes to promote larval growth, in part by antagonizing MES-2,3,6/ESC-E(z) and MES-4.

Key Words: C. elegans, NuRD, Rb, gon-14, synMuv




This article has been cited by other articles:


Home page
J. Biol. Chem.Home page
D. Bessiere, C. Lacroix, S. Campagne, V. Ecochard, V. Guillet, L. Mourey, F. Lopez, J. Czaplicki, P. Demange, A. Milon, et al.
Structure-Function Analysis of the THAP Zinc Finger of THAP1, a Large C2CH DNA-binding Module Linked to Rb/E2F Pathways
J. Biol. Chem., February 15, 2008; 283(7): 4352 - 4363.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
DevelopmentHome page
C. Schertel and B. Conradt
C. elegans orthologs of components of the RB tumor suppressor complex have distinct pro-apoptotic functions
Development, October 15, 2007; 134(20): 3691 - 3701.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
GeneticsHome page
J. B. Bessler, K. C. Reddy, M. Hayashi, J. Hodgkin, and A. M. Villeneuve
A Role for Caenorhabditis elegans Chromatin-Associated Protein HIM-17 in the Proliferation vs. Meiotic Entry Decision
Genetics, April 1, 2007; 175(4): 2029 - 2037.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
BloodHome page
C. Cayrol, C. Lacroix, C. Mathe, V. Ecochard, M. Ceribelli, E. Loreau, V. Lazar, P. Dessen, R. Mantovani, L. Aguilar, et al.
The THAP-zinc finger protein THAP1 regulates endothelial cell proliferation through modulation of pRB/E2F cell-cycle target genes
Blood, January 15, 2007; 109(2): 584 - 594.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]