Abstract
The Eph receptor VAB-1 is required in neurons for epidermal morphogenesis during C. elegans embryogenesis. Two models were proposed for the non-autonomous role of VAB-1: neuronal VAB-1 might signal directly to epidermis, or VAB-1 signaling between neurons might be required for epidermal development. We show that the ephrin VAB-2 (also known as EFN-1) is a ligand for VAB-1 and can function in neurons to regulate epidermal morphogenesis. In the absence of VAB-1 signaling, ephrin-expressing neurons are disorganized. vab-2/efn-1 mutations synergize with vab-1 kinase alleles, suggesting that VAB-2/EFN-1 may partly function in a kinase-independent VAB-1 pathway. Our data indicate that ephrin signaling between neurons is required nonautonomously for epidermal morphogenesis in C. elegans.
Publication types
-
Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
-
Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.
MeSH terms
-
Amino Acid Sequence
-
Animals
-
Caenorhabditis elegans / embryology
-
Caenorhabditis elegans / genetics
-
Caenorhabditis elegans / metabolism*
-
Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins*
-
Cell Cycle Proteins / genetics
-
Cell Cycle Proteins / metabolism*
-
Cells, Cultured
-
Cloning, Molecular
-
Embryo, Nonmammalian
-
Ephrins*
-
Epidermis / embryology*
-
Helminth Proteins / genetics
-
Helminth Proteins / metabolism*
-
Immunohistochemistry
-
Larva
-
Microscopy, Confocal
-
Molecular Sequence Data
-
Morphogenesis
-
Neurons / metabolism*
-
Receptor Protein-Tyrosine Kinases*
-
Signal Transduction
Substances
-
Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins
-
Cell Cycle Proteins
-
Ephrins
-
Helminth Proteins
-
vab-2 protein, C elegans
-
Receptor Protein-Tyrosine Kinases
-
vab-1 protein, C elegans