Abstract
To build complex organs, embryos have evolved mechanisms that integrate the development of cells unrelated to one another by cell type or ancestry. Here we show that the pha-4 locus establishes organ identity for the Caenorhabditis elegans pharynx. In pha-4 mutants, pharyngeal cells are transformed into ectoderm. Conversely, ectopic pha-4 expression produces excess pharyngeal cells. pha-4 encodes an HNF-3 homolog selectively expressed in the nascent digestive tract, including all pharynx precursors at the time they are restricted to a pharyngeal fate. We suggest that pha-4 is a key component of a transcription-based mechanism to endow cells with pharyngeal organ identity.
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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Caenorhabditis elegans / embryology*
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Caenorhabditis elegans / genetics*
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DNA-Binding Proteins*
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Digestive System / embryology
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Forkhead Transcription Factors
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Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental / physiology
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Genes, Helminth* / physiology
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Nuclear Proteins / genetics
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Pharynx / embryology*
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Sequence Homology, Amino Acid
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Trans-Activators / genetics*
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Transcription Factors / genetics
Substances
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DNA-Binding Proteins
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FOXI1 protein, human
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FOXJ1 protein, human
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Forkhead Transcription Factors
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Nuclear Proteins
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Trans-Activators
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Transcription Factors