Regulation of Caenorhabditis elegans body size and male tail development by the novel gene lon-8.

ABSTRACT:

Background

In C. elegans and other nematode species, body size is determined by the composition of the extracellular cuticle as well as by the nuclear DNA content of the underlying hypodermis. Mutants that are defective in these processes can exhibit either a short or a long body size phenotype. Several mutations that give a long body size (Lon) phenotype have been characterized and found to be regulated by the DBL-1/TGF-beta pathway, that controls post-embryonic growth and male tail development.

Results

Here we characterize a novel gene affecting body size. lon-8 encodes a secreted product of the hypodermis that is highly conserved in Rhabditid nematodes. lon-8 regulates larval elongation as well as male tail development. In both processes, lon-8 appears to function indepen

SUBMITTER: Soete G 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC1847802 | biostudies-literature | 2007 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature