AFF-1, a FOS-1-regulated fusogen, mediates fusion of the anchor cell in C. elegans

Dev Cell. 2007 May;12(5):683-98. doi: 10.1016/j.devcel.2007.03.003.

Abstract

Cell fusion is fundamental for reproduction and organ formation. Fusion between most C. elegans epithelial cells is mediated by the EFF-1 fusogen. However, fusion between the anchor cell and the utse syncytium that establishes a continuous uterine-vulval tube proceeds normally in eff-1 mutants. By isolating mutants where the anchor-cell fails to fuse, we identified aff-1. AFF-1 ectopic expression results in fusion of cells that normally do not fuse in C. elegans. The fusogen activity of AFF-1 was further confirmed by its ability to fuse heterologous cells. AFF-1 and EFF-1 differ in their fusogenic activity and expression patterns but share eight conserved predicted disulfide bonds in their ectodomains, including a putative TGF-beta-type-I-Receptor domain. We found that FOS-1, the Fos transcription factor ortholog that controls anchor-cell invasion during nematode development, is a specific activator of aff-1-mediated anchor-cell fusion. Thus, FOS-1 links cell invasion and fusion in a developmental cascade.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Intramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Amino Acid Sequence
  • Animals
  • Caenorhabditis elegans / cytology*
  • Caenorhabditis elegans / embryology
  • Caenorhabditis elegans / metabolism*
  • Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins / chemistry
  • Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins / metabolism*
  • Cell Fusion
  • Cytoplasm / metabolism
  • Embryo, Nonmammalian / cytology
  • Epithelial Cells / cytology
  • Female
  • Insecta / cytology
  • Models, Biological
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Mutation / genetics
  • Phenotype
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-fos / chemistry
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-fos / metabolism*
  • Transcription Factors / chemistry
  • Transcription Factors / metabolism*
  • Vulva / cytology
  • Vulva / growth & development

Substances

  • AFF-1 protein, C elegans
  • Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins
  • FOS-1 protein, C elegans
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-fos
  • Transcription Factors

Associated data

  • GENBANK/EF205023