Shared gene expression in distinct neurons expressing common selector genes.

ABSTRACT: 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 err

SUBMITTER: Topalidou I 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3228421 | biostudies-literature | 2011 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature