Caenorhabditis elegans atx-2 Promotes Germline Proliferation and the Oocyte Fate
Date
2004-10
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Genetics Society of America
Abstract
In the Caenorhabditis elegans germline, proliferation is induced by Notch-type signaling. Entry of germ
cells into meiosis is triggered by activity of the GLD-1 and GLD-2 pathways, which function redundantly
to promote meiosis and/or inhibit proliferation. Activation of the germline Notch-type receptor, GLP-1,
ultimately inhibits the activities of the GLD-1 and GLD-2 pathways. We previously identified several ego
(enhancer of glp-1) genes that promote germline proliferation and interact genetically with the GLP-1
signaling pathway. Here, we show that atx-2 is an ego gene. Our data suggest that ATX-2 is not a positive
regulator of the GLP-1 signaling pathway and GLP-1 signaling is not the sole positive regulator of ATX-2
activity. Moreover, our data indicate that GLP-1 must have an additional function, which may be to repress
activity of a third meiotic entry pathway that would work in parallel with the GLD-1 and GLD-2 pathways. In
addition to its role in proliferation, ATX-2 acts downstream of FOG-2 to promote the female germline fate.
Description
Copyright 2004 by the Genetics Society of America
DOI: 10.1534/genetics.104.029355
Keywords
Biology
Citation
Eleanor M. Maine, Dave Hansen, Deborah Springer, Valarie E. Vought "Caenorhabditis elegans atx-2 Promotes Germline Proliferation and the Oocyte Fate" Genetics 168: 817–830 (October 2004)