CGC Bibliography Paper 5413

Multiple regulatory changes contribute to the evolution of the Caenorhabditis lin-48 ovo gene.

Wang X, Chamberlin HM

Medline:

12231624

Citation:

Genes & Development 16: 2345-2349 2002

Type:

ARTICLE

Genes:

ces-2 lin-48

Abstract:

Recent work points to the importance of changes in gene expression patterns in species-specific differences. Here, we investigate the evolution of the nematode lin-48 ovo gene. lin-48 is expressed in several cells in both Caenorhabditis elegans and Caenorhabditis briggsae, but acts in the excretory duct cell only in C. elegans. We find the differences result both from alterations in the cis-regulatory sequences and in proteins that mediate lin-48 expression. One factor that contributes to the species differences is the bZip protein CES-2. Our results indicate the accumulation of several regulatory changes affecting one gene can contribute to evolutionary change.