| Citation | Topalidou I, Chalfie M. Shared gene expression in distinct neurons expressing common selector genes. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A, 2011. |
| PubMed ID | 22087002 |
| Short Description | Shared gene expression in distinct neurons expressing common selector genes. GEO Record: N.A. Platform: N.A. Download gene-centric, log2 transformed data: WBPaper00040420.ce.mr.csv |
| # of Conditions | 11 |
Full Description
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Expression of the mec-3/unc-86 selector gene complex induces the differentiation of the touch receptor neurons (TRNs) of Caenorhabditis elegans. These genes are also expressed in another set of embryonically derived mechanosensory neurons, the FLP neurons, but these cells do not share obvious TRN traits or proteins. We have identified ~300 genes in each cell type that are up-regulated at least threefold using DNA microarrays. Twenty-three percent of these genes are up-regulated in both cells. Surprisingly, some of the common genes had previously been identified as TRN-specific. Although the FLP neurons contain low amounts of the mRNAs for these TRN genes, they do not have detectable proteins. These results suggest that transcription control is relatively inexact but that these apparent errors of transcription are tolerated and do not alter cell fate. Previous studies showed that loss of the EGL-44 and EGL-46 transcription factors cause the FLP neurons to acquire TRN-like traits. Here, we show that similar changes occur (e.g., the expression of both the TRN mRNAs and proteins) when the FLP neurons ectopically express the auxiliary transcription factor ALR-1 (Aristaless related), which ensures, but does not direct, TRN differentiation. Thus, the FLP neurons can acquire a TRN-like fate but use multiple levels of regulation to ensure they do not. Our data indicate that expression of common master regulators in different cell types can result in inappropriate expression of effector genes. This misexpression makes these cells vulnerable to influences that could cause them to acquire alternative fates. Experimental Details: WBPaper00040420:FLP_1 WBPaper00040420:FLP_2 WBPaper00040420:FLP_3 WBPaper00040420:TRN_1 WBPaper00040420:TRN_2 WBPaper00040420:TRN_3 WBPaper00040420:TRN_4 WBPaper00040420:WholeAnimal_1 WBPaper00040420:WholeAnimal_2 WBPaper00040420:WholeAnimal_3 WBPaper00040420:WholeAnimal_4. |
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