Analysis of a Caenorhabditis elegans Twist homolog identifies conserved and divergent aspects of mesodermal patterning.

ABSTRACT: Mesodermal development is a multistep process in which cells become increasingly specialized to form specific tissue types. In Drosophila and mammals, proper segregation and patterning of the mesoderm involves the bHLH factor Twist. We investigated the activity of a Twist-related factor, CeTwist, during Caenorhabditis elegans mesoderm development. Embryonic mesoderm in C. elegans derives from a number of distinct founder cells that are specified during the early lineages; in contrast, a single blast cell (M) is responsible for all nongonadal mesoderm formation during postembryonic development. Using immunofluorescence and reporter fusions, we determined the activity pattern of the gene encoding CeTwist. No activity was observed during specification of mesodermal lineages in the early embry

SUBMITTER: Harfe BD 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC317087 | biostudies-literature | 1998 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature