Abstract
The fan and rays of the C. elegans male tail constitute a compound sensory organ essential for mating. Within this organ, the individual sensilla, known as rays, have unique identities. We show that ray identities are patterned by a selector gene mechanism in a manner similar to other serially homologous axial structures. One selector gene that promotes the identities of a subset of the rays is the Hox gene egl-5. Within EGL-5-expressing rays, further patterning is provided by a Pax-6 homolog and a signal of the TGFbeta family. These genes and pathway coordinately specify multiple ray properties affecting all three terminal ray cell types. These properties include complex patterns of FMRFamide-like (FaRP) neuropeptides, serotonin (5HT) and dopamine expression, and ray morphology. Differences in these differentiated characteristics give each sensillum a unique identity and potentially endow the compound ray organ with a higher-order information gathering capacity.
Publication types
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Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
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Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.
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Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.
MeSH terms
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Animals
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Body Patterning / genetics*
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Caenorhabditis elegans / embryology*
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Caenorhabditis elegans / metabolism
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Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins / genetics
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Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins / metabolism
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Eye Proteins
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Homeodomain Proteins / genetics
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Homeodomain Proteins / metabolism
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Male
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Neurons / metabolism
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Neuropeptides / genetics
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Neuropeptides / metabolism
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PAX6 Transcription Factor
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Paired Box Transcription Factors
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Repressor Proteins
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Serotonin / biosynthesis
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Tail / embryology*
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Tail / metabolism
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Transcription Factors / genetics
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Transcription Factors / metabolism
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Transforming Growth Factor beta / genetics
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Transforming Growth Factor beta / metabolism
Substances
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Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins
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Dbl-1 protein, C elegans
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Egl-5 protein, C elegans
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Eye Proteins
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Homeodomain Proteins
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Neuropeptides
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PAX6 Transcription Factor
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Paired Box Transcription Factors
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Repressor Proteins
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Transcription Factors
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Transforming Growth Factor beta
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Serotonin