The University of Melbourne, Department of Veterinary Science, Werribee, Victoria 3030, Australia.
Dev Biol. 2009 Dec 1;336(1):84-93. doi: 10.1016/j.ydbio.2009.09.036. Epub 2009 Sep 30.
Caenorhabditis elegans is an excellent model to observe cell movements and shape changes during the morphogenesis of the egg-shaped embryo into an elongated tube-like larva. Although much is known about the structural determinants involved in epidermal morphogenesis, relatively little is known about the transcriptional and post-transcriptional regulatory networks involved. Here, we describe the identification and functional characterization of the novel nuclear protein VAB-23, which belongs to a conserved protein family found in all metazoans. C. elegans VAB-23 is essential for ventral closure and elongation of the embryo. Time-lapse analysis indicates that VAB-23 is required for the formation of proper cell contacts between contralateral pairs of ventral epidermal cells. Tissue-specific rescue experiments reveal a function of VAB-23 in ventral neuroblasts that control the enclosure of the embryo by the overlaying epidermal cells. Finally, we provide evidence suggesting a role of VAB-23 in post-transcriptional gene regulation. We thus propose that VAB-23 regulates the expression of multiple secreted guidance cues in ventral neuroblasts that direct the migration of the overlaying epidermal cells. Members of the VAB-23 family may perform similar functions during morphogenesis in other metazoans.
秀丽隐杆线虫是一个观察细胞运动和形态发生过程中形状变化的优秀模型，这个过程是将卵子形状的胚胎变成细长的管状幼虫。虽然人们已经了解了表皮形态发生中涉及的结构决定因素，但对于涉及的转录和转录后调控网络却知之甚少。在这里，我们描述了新型核蛋白 VAB-23 的鉴定和功能特征，该蛋白属于在所有后生动物中都存在的保守蛋白家族。秀丽隐杆线虫 VAB-23 对于胚胎的腹侧闭合和伸长是必需的。延时分析表明，VAB-23 对于腹侧表皮细胞对侧之间形成适当的细胞接触是必需的。组织特异性的拯救实验揭示了 VAB-23 在腹侧神经母细胞中的功能，该细胞通过覆盖的表皮细胞来控制胚胎的包裹。最后，我们提供了证据表明 VAB-23 在转录后基因调控中的作用。因此，我们提出 VAB-23 调节腹侧神经母细胞中多个分泌导向因子的表达，这些因子指导覆盖的表皮细胞的迁移。VAB-23 家族的成员在其他后生动物的形态发生过程中可能具有类似的功能。
