1. The C. elegans RUNX transcription factor RNT-1/MAB-2 is required for asymmetrical cell division of the T blast cell
- Author
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Kagoshima, Hiroshi, Sawa, Hitoshi, Mitani, Shohei, Burglin, Thomas R., Shigesada, Katsuya, and Kohara, Yuji
- Subjects
Genetic transcription -- Research ,Genetic regulation -- Research ,Cells -- Research ,Biological sciences - Abstract
The RUNX genes encode conserved transcription factors, which play vital roles in the development of various animals and human diseases. Drosophila runt is a secondary pair-rule gene, which regulates embryo segmentation. Human RUNX1, previously known as AML1, is essential for hematopoiesis. C. elegans rnt-1 is co-orthologous to the human RUNX genes. We found that RNT-1: :GFP is expressed in the H0-2, V1-6, and T blast cells in the embryo, and predominantly in the seam cells during larval to adult stages, rnt-1 mutants exhibit a loss of polarity in the asymmetrical T cell division in hermaphrodites and abnormal ray morphology in the male tail. Genetic and molecular analysis revealed that rnt-1 is allelic to mab-2. Mutant analysis suggested that rnt-1/rnab-2 is involved in regulating T blast cell polarity in cooperation with the Wnt signaling pathway. Expression studies of GFP: :POP-1 and TLP-1: :GFP reporters in rnt-1/mab-2 mutants indicated that this gene functions upstream of tlp-1 and downstream, or in parallel to, pop-1 in the genetic cascade that controls asymmetry of the T cell division. All our data suggest that RNT-1/ MAB-2 functions with POP-1 to control the asymmetry of the T cell division. Keywords: rnt-1; mab-2; RUNX; T blast cell; Seam cell; Asymmetrical cell division; Wnt signal; Caenorhabditis elegans
- Published
- 2005