Abstract
The Caenorhabditis elegans hermaphrodite nervous system is composed of 302 neurons that fall into at least 118 diverse classes. Here we describe cfi-1, a gene that contributes to the development of neuronal diversity. cfi-1 promotes appropriate differentiation of the URA sensory neurons and inhibits URA from expressing the male-specific CEM neuronal fate. The UNC-86 POU homeodomain protein is present in CEM and URA neurons, and can promote expression of CEM-specific genes in both CEM and URA, but CFI-1 inhibits expression of these genes in the URA cells. cfi-1 also promotes appropriate differentiation and glutamate receptor expression in the AVD and PVC interneurons. cfi-1 encodes a conserved neuron- and muscle-restricted DNA-binding protein containing an A/T rich interaction domain (ARID). ARID proteins regulate early patterning and muscle fate in Drosophila, but they have not previously been implicated in the control of neuronal subtype identity.
Publication types
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Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
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Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.
MeSH terms
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Animals
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Caenorhabditis elegans
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Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins / genetics
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Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins / metabolism*
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Cell Differentiation / physiology
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DNA-Binding Proteins / genetics
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DNA-Binding Proteins / metabolism
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Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental
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Genes, Homeobox
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Homeodomain Proteins / genetics
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Homeodomain Proteins / metabolism
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Molecular Sequence Data
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Muscles / metabolism
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Nervous System / cytology
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Nervous System / embryology
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Nervous System / metabolism
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Neurons / classification*
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Neurons / cytology*
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Neurons / metabolism
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POU Domain Factors
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Protein Structure, Tertiary / physiology
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Receptors, Glutamate / biosynthesis
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Sequence Homology, Amino Acid
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Transcription Factors / genetics
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Transcription Factors / metabolism*
Substances
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CFI-1 protein, C elegans
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Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins
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DNA-Binding Proteins
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Homeodomain Proteins
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POU Domain Factors
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Receptors, Glutamate
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Transcription Factors
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unc-86 protein, C elegans