Hox Genes Promote Neuronal Subtype Diversification through Posterior Induction in Caenorhabditis elegans.

ABSTRACT: Although Hox genes specify the differentiation of neuronal subtypes along the anterior-posterior axis, their mode of action is not entirely understood. Using two subtypes of the touch receptor neurons (TRNs) in C. elegans, we found that a "posterior induction" mechanism underlies the Hox control of terminal neuronal differentiation. The anterior subtype maintains a default TRN state, whereas the posterior subtype undergoes further morphological and transcriptional specification induced by the posterior Hox proteins, mainly EGL-5/Abd-B. Misexpression of the posterior Hox proteins transformed the anterior TRN subtype toward a posterior identity both morphologically and genetically. The specification of the posterior subtype requires EGL-5-induced repression of TALE cofactors, which antagoniz

SUBMITTER: Zheng C 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4635444 | biostudies-literature | 2015 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature