Abstract
The pha-4 locus encodes a forkhead box A (FoxA/HNF3) transcription factor homolog that specifies organ identity for Caenorhabditis elegans pharyngeal cells. We used microarrays to identify pharyngeal genes and analyzed those genes to determine which were direct PHA-4 targets. Our data suggest that PHA-4 directly activates most or all pharyngeal genes. Furthermore, the relative affinity of PHA-4 for different TRTTKRY (R = A/G, K = T/G, Y = T/C) elements modulates the onset of gene expression, providing a mechanism to activate pharyngeal genes at different developmental stages. We suggest that direct transcriptional regulation of entire gene networks may be a common feature of organ identity genes.
Publication types
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Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
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Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.
MeSH terms
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Animals
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Binding Sites
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Biological Evolution
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Caenorhabditis elegans / embryology*
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Caenorhabditis elegans / genetics
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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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Consensus Sequence
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Embryo, Nonmammalian / metabolism
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Embryonic Development
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Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental*
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Genes, Helminth*
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Genes, Reporter
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Introns
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Models, Genetic
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Mutation
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Myosins / genetics
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Oligonucleotide Array Sequence Analysis
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Pharynx / cytology
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Pharynx / embryology
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Pharynx / metabolism
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Promoter Regions, Genetic
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Recombinant Fusion Proteins / metabolism
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Trans-Activators / genetics
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Trans-Activators / metabolism*
Substances
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Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins
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Pha-4 protein, C elegans
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Recombinant Fusion Proteins
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Trans-Activators
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Myosins