A <i>C. elegans</i> patched gene, <i>ptc-1</i>, functions in germ-line cytokinesis

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<jats:p>Patched (Ptc), initially identified in <jats:italic>Drosophila</jats:italic>, defines a class of multipass membrane proteins that control cell fate and cell proliferation. Biochemical studies in vertebrates indicate that the membrane proteins Ptc and Smoothened (Smo) form a receptor complex that binds Hedgehog (Hh) morphogens. Smo transduces the Hh signal to downstream effectors. The <jats:italic>Caenorhabditis elegans</jats:italic> genome encodes two Ptc homologs and one related pseudogene but does not encode obvious Hh or Smo homologs. We have analyzed <jats:italic>ptc-1</jats:italic> by RNAi and mutational deletion and find that it is an essential gene, although the absence of <jats:italic>ptc-1</jats:italic> has no detectable effect on body patterning or proliferation. Therefore, the <jats:italic>C. elegans ptc-1</jats:italic> gene is functional despite the lack of Hh and Smo homologs. We find that the activity and expression of <jats:italic>ptc-1</jats:italic> is essentially confined to the germ line and its progenitors. <jats:italic>ptc-1</jats:italic> null mutants are sterile with multinucleate germ cells arising from a probable cytokinesis defect. We have also identified a surprisingly large family of PTC-related proteins containing sterol-sensing domains, including homologs of <jats:italic>Drosophila dispatched</jats:italic>, in <jats:italic>C. elegans</jats:italic> and other phyla. These results suggest that the PTC superfamily has multiple functions in animal development.</jats:p>

Journal

  • Genes & Development

    Genes & Development 14 (15), 1933-1944, 2000-08-01

    Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory

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