CGC Bibliography Paper 3121

A new marker for mosaic analysis in Caenorhabditis elegans indicates a fusion between hpy6 and hyp7, two major components of hypodermis.

Yochem J, Gu T, Han M

Medline:

98315097

Citation:

Genetics 149: 1323-1334 1998

Type:

ARTICLE

Genes:

ncl-1 sur-5 unc-36

Abstract:

A fusion of the sur-5 protein to the green fluorescent protein containing a nuclear localization signal is demonstrated as a marker for genetic mosaic analysis in the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans. Because of an extensive accumulation of bright fluorescence in many nuclei, normal growth plates, each containing hundreds of worms, can be rapidly screened with a dissecting microscope for rare mosaic individuals. As the marker carl also be used to detect transgenic worms, the construction of strains for mosaic analyses can be minimized. In the course of examining rare mosaic animals, an unexpected pattern of fluorescence was noticed for hyp6, a syncytial component of the hypodermis, which indicated that the marker may sen-e as a means of assessing cellular fusions during development. Immunofluorescent staining of adherens junctions confirmed a postembryonic fusion of hyp6 with hyp7, the major syncytium of the hypodermis.