THE MEC-3 GENE OF CAENORHABDITIS-ELEGANS REQUIRES ITS OWN PRODUCT FOR MAINTAINED EXPRESSION AND IS EXPRESSED IN 3 NEURONAL CELL-TYPES
THE MEC-3 GENE OF CAENORHABDITIS-ELEGANS REQUIRES ITS OWN PRODUCT FOR MAINTAINED EXPRESSION AND IS EXPRESSED IN 3 NEURONAL CELL-TYPES
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DOI：
10.1101/gad.3.12a.1823
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发表时间：
1989-12-01
影响因子：
10.5
通讯作者：
CHALFIE, M
中科院分区：
文献类型：
--
作者：
WAY, JC;CHALFIE, M
线虫线虫的含同源盒的基因mec-3在几个感觉神经元中表达，如通过mec-3-lacZ融合的表达所测定的。这些细胞是触觉感受器，介导对轻轻触摸的反应，以及FLP和PVD神经元。PVD介导对苛刻的机械刺激的反应，FLP具有提示机械感受器的超微结构，但其功能尚不清楚。MEC-3对于触觉感受器的分化是必需的，因为在MEC-3突变体中，触觉感受器不起作用并且没有它们的区别特征。mec-3也是PVD功能所必需的：PVD神经元不再介导突变体对苛刻机械刺激的反应。mec-3-lacZ融合体的表达，以及可能的mec-3本身，被最初通过其对触觉细胞发育的影响鉴定的几个基因中的突变改变。unc-86是另一个含有同源框的基因，它是所有mec-3-lacZ表达所必需的，但也影响其中mec-3不表达的几种其它谱系和细胞。mec-3活性似乎是mec-3-lacZ融合体在表达它的所有细胞中维持表达所必需的。在mec-17突变体中，mec-3-lacZ表达在触觉受体中不维持，但在FLP和PVD神经元中不受影响。这些发现表明，基因调控的组合机制控制mec-3本身的表达及其促进各种细胞类型的终末分化的作用。
The homeo-box-containing gene mec-3 of the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans, is expressed in several sensory neurons, as assayed by expression of a mec-3-lacZ fusion. These cells are the touch receptors, which mediate the response to gentle touch, and the FLP and PVD neurons. PVD mediates a response to harsh mechanical stimuli, and FLP has an ultrastructure suggestive of a mechanoreceptor, but its function is unknown. mec-3 is necessary for the differentiation of the touch receptors, because in mec-3 mutants, the touch recpetors do not function and have none of their distinguishing features. mec-3 is also needed for PVD function: The PVD neurons no longer mediate a response to harsh mechanical stimuli in the mutants. The expression of the mec-3-lacZ fusion, and presumably mec-3 itself, is altered by mutations in several genes originally identified by their effects on touch cell development. unc-86, another homeo-box-containing gene, is necessary for all mec-3-lacZ expression, but also affects several other lineages and cells in which mec-3 is not expressed. mec-3 activity appears to be required for maintained expression of the mec-3-lacZ fusion in all cells in which it is expressed. In a mec-17 mutant, mec-3-lacZ expression is not maintained in the touch receptors, but is not affected in the FLP and PVD neurons. These findings suggest that combinatorial mechanisms of gene regulation cotnrol both the expression of mec-3 itself and its action in promoting the terminal differentiation of various cell types.