CGC Bibliography Paper 3090

Candidate adaptor protein CED-6 promotes the engulfment of apoptotic cells in C. elegans.

Liu QA, Hengartner MO

Medline:

98297349

Citation:

Cell 93: 961-972 1998

Type:

ARTICLE

Genes:

ced-1 ced-2 ced-5 ced-6 ced-7 ced-10

Abstract:

The rapid engulfment (phagocytosis) of cells undergoing programmed cell death (apoptosis) is a fundamental biological process that is not well understood. Here we report the cloning and functional characterization of ced-6, a gene specifically required for the engulfment of apoptotic cells in the nematode C. elegans. The CED-6 protein contains a phosphotyrosine binding domain at its N terminus and a proline/serine-rich region in its C-terminal half. Genetic mosaic analysis demonstrates that ced-6 acts within engulfing cells. We also show that ced-6 can promote the engulfment of cells at both early and late stages of apoptosis. Our data suggest that CED-6 is an adaptor molecule acting in a signal transduction pathway that specifically mediates the recognition and engulfment of apoptotic cells.