PMID:16407099

Citation	Thompson, BE, Lamont, LB and Kimble, J (2006) Germ-line induction of the Caenorhabditis elegans vulva. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 103:620-5
Abstract	Development of the Caenorhabditis elegans vulva serves as a paradigm for intercellular signaling during animal development. In wild-type animals, the somatic gonadal anchor cell generates the LIN-3/EGF ligand to induce vulval fates in the underlying hypodermis, whereas FBF, FOG-1, and FOG-3 control germ-line development. Here we report that FBF functions redundantly with FOG-1 and FOG-3 to control vulval induction: animals lacking FBF and either FOG-1 or FOG-3 have multiple vulvae, the Muv phenotype. The fog; fbf Muv phenotype is generated by aberrant induction of vulval precursor cells (VPCs): in wild-type animals, three VPCs are induced to form a single vulva, but, in fog; fbf mutants, four or five VPCs are typically induced, resulting in ectopic vulvae. Laser ablation experiments and mosaic analyses demonstrate that the germ line is critical for the fog; fbf Muv phenotype. Consistent with that site of action, we detect FBF and FOG-1 in the germ line but not in the VPCs. The simplest interpretation is that FOG-1, FOG-3, and FBF act in the germ line to influence vulval fates. The LIN-3/EGF ligand may be the germ-line signal to the VPCs: the fog; fbf Muv phenotype depends on LIN-3 activity, and the lin-3 3' UTR possesses an FBF binding element. Our findings reveal new insights into germ line-to-soma signals and the role of PUF proteins in animal development.
Links	PubMed PMC1334682 Online version:10.1073/pnas.0510264103
Keywords	Animals; Caenorhabditis elegans/embryology; Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins/biosynthesis; Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins/genetics; Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins/metabolism; Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins/physiology; Down-Regulation/genetics; Embryonic Induction/physiology; Epidermal Growth Factor/biosynthesis; Epidermal Growth Factor/genetics; Female; Mosaicism; RNA, Messenger/metabolism; RNA-Binding Proteins/biosynthesis; RNA-Binding Proteins/genetics; Vulva/embryology
edit table

Annotations

Gene product	Qualifier	GO Term	Evidence Code	with/from	Aspect	Extension	Notes	Status

References

See Help:References for how to manage references in GONUTS.