Abstract
The unc-129 gene, like the unc-6 netrin gene, is required to guide pioneer motoraxons along the dorsoventral axis of Caenorhabditis elegans. unc-129 encodes a member of the transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-beta) superfamily of secreted signaling molecules and is expressed in dorsal, but not ventral, rows of body wall muscles. Ectopic expression of UNC-129 from ventral body wall muscle disrupts growth cone and cell migrations that normally occur along the dorsoventral axis. Thus, UNC-129 mediates expression of dorsoventral polarity information required for axon guidance and guided cell migrations in C. elegans.
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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Amino Acid Sequence
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Animals
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Axons / physiology*
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Body Patterning
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Caenorhabditis elegans / genetics
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Caenorhabditis elegans / growth & development
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Caenorhabditis elegans / physiology*
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Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins*
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Cell Movement
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Gene Expression
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Helminth Proteins / chemistry
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Helminth Proteins / genetics*
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Helminth Proteins / physiology*
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Membrane Proteins / genetics
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Membrane Proteins / physiology
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Molecular Sequence Data
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Motor Neurons / physiology
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Muscles / metabolism*
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Nerve Tissue Proteins*
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Netrins
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Promoter Regions, Genetic
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Receptors, Cell Surface*
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Receptors, Growth Factor / genetics
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Receptors, Growth Factor / physiology
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Sequence Deletion
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Signal Transduction
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Transforming Growth Factor beta / chemistry
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Transforming Growth Factor beta / genetics*
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Transforming Growth Factor beta / physiology*
Substances
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Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins
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Helminth Proteins
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Membrane Proteins
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Nerve Tissue Proteins
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Netrins
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Receptors, Cell Surface
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Receptors, Growth Factor
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Transforming Growth Factor beta
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UNC-129 protein, C elegans
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UNC-6 protein, C elegans
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UNC-5 protein, C elegans