Developmental regulation of a cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor controls postembryonic cell cycle progression in Caenorhabditis elegans

Development. 1998 Sep;125(18):3585-97. doi: 10.1242/dev.125.18.3585.

Abstract

C. elegans cki-1 encodes a member of the CIP/KIP family of cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitors, and functions to link postembryonic developmental programs to cell cycle progression. The expression pattern of cki-1::GFP suggests that cki-1 is developmentally regulated in blast cells coincident with G1, and in differentiating cells. Ectopic expression of CKI-1 can prematurely arrest cells in G1, while reducing cki-1 activity by RNA-mediated interference (RNAi) causes extra larval cell divisions, suggesting a role for cki-1 in the developmental control of G1/S. cki-1 activity is required for the suspension of cell cycling that occurs in dauer larvae and starved L1 larvae in response to environmental signals. In vulva precursor cells (VPCs), a pathway of heterochronic genes acts via cki-1 to maintain VPCs in G1 during the L2 stage.

Publication types

  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Caenorhabditis elegans / genetics
  • Caenorhabditis elegans / growth & development*
  • Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins*
  • Cell Cycle Proteins / genetics*
  • Cell Cycle Proteins / physiology
  • Cell Differentiation
  • Cell Division
  • Cyclin-Dependent Kinase Inhibitor Proteins
  • Cyclin-Dependent Kinase Inhibitor p21
  • Cyclin-Dependent Kinase Inhibitor p27
  • Cyclin-Dependent Kinases / antagonists & inhibitors*
  • Cyclins / genetics*
  • Cyclins / physiology
  • Enzyme Inhibitors*
  • G1 Phase
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental*
  • Genes, Helminth
  • Genes, cdc
  • Gonads / cytology
  • Gonads / growth & development
  • Green Fluorescent Proteins
  • Luminescent Proteins / biosynthesis
  • Luminescent Proteins / genetics
  • Microtubule-Associated Proteins / genetics*
  • Microtubule-Associated Proteins / physiology
  • Recombinant Fusion Proteins / biosynthesis
  • Recombinant Fusion Proteins / metabolism
  • S Phase
  • Tumor Suppressor Proteins*

Substances

  • Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins
  • Cell Cycle Proteins
  • Cyclin-Dependent Kinase Inhibitor Proteins
  • Cyclin-Dependent Kinase Inhibitor p21
  • Cyclins
  • Enzyme Inhibitors
  • Luminescent Proteins
  • Microtubule-Associated Proteins
  • Recombinant Fusion Proteins
  • Tumor Suppressor Proteins
  • cki-1 protein, C elegans
  • Green Fluorescent Proteins
  • Cyclin-Dependent Kinase Inhibitor p27
  • Cyclin-Dependent Kinases