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Ras effector switching promotes divergent cell fates in C. elegans vulval patterning.
- Source :
-
Developmental cell [Dev Cell] 2011 Jan 18; Vol. 20 (1), pp. 84-96. - Publication Year :
- 2011
-
Abstract
- The C. elegans vulva is patterned by epidermal growth factor (EGF) activation of Ras to control 1° fate, and 1° fate induces antagonistic Notch-dependent 2° fate. Furthermore, a spatial EGF gradient, in addition to inducing 1° fate, directly contributes to 2° fate via an unknown pathway. We find that in addition to its canonical effector, Raf, vulval Ras utilizes an exchange factor for the Ral small GTPase (RalGEF), such that Ras-RalGEF-Ral antagonizes Ras-Raf pro-1° fate activity. Consistent with its restricted expression pattern, Ral participates in EGF pro-2° activity. Thus, we have delineated a Ras effector-switching mechanism whereby position within the morphogen gradient dictates that Ras effector usage is switched to RalGEF from Raf to promote 2° instead of 1° fate. Our observations define the utility of Ras effector switching during normal development and may provide a possible mechanistic basis for cell and cancer-type differences in effector dependency and activation.<br /> (Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)
- Subjects :
- Amino Acid Sequence
Animals
Caenorhabditis elegans chemistry
Caenorhabditis elegans cytology
Caenorhabditis elegans enzymology
Caenorhabditis elegans growth & development
Caenorhabditis elegans metabolism
Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins chemistry
Epidermal Growth Factor metabolism
ErbB Receptors metabolism
Female
Models, Biological
Molecular Sequence Data
Receptors, Notch metabolism
Sequence Alignment
Sequence Homology, Amino Acid
Signal Transduction
Vulva metabolism
raf Kinases metabolism
ral Guanine Nucleotide Exchange Factor chemistry
ral Guanine Nucleotide Exchange Factor metabolism
Body Patterning
Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins metabolism
Cell Lineage
Vulva cytology
Vulva growth & development
ras Proteins metabolism
Subjects
Details
- Language :
- English
- ISSN :
- 1878-1551
- Volume :
- 20
- Issue :
- 1
- Database :
- MEDLINE
- Journal :
- Developmental cell
- Publication Type :
- Academic Journal
- Accession number :
- 21238927
- Full Text :
- https://doi.org/10.1016/j.devcel.2010.12.004