The Importance of cGMP Signaling in Sensory Cilia for Body Size Regulation in Caenorhabditis elegans.

ABSTRACT: The body size of Caenorhabditis elegans is thought to be controlled by sensory inputs because many mutants with sensory cilium structure defects exhibit small body size. The EGL-4 cGMP-dependent protein kinase acts in sensory neurons to reduce body size when animals fail to perceive sensory signals. In addition to body size control, EGL-4 regulates various other behavioral and developmental pathways, including those involved in the regulation of egg laying and chemotaxis behavior. Here we have identified gcy-12, which encodes a receptor-type guanylyl cyclase, as a gene involved in the sensory regulation of body size. Analyses with GFP fusion constructs showed that gcy-12 is expressed in several sensory neurons and localizes to sensory cilia. Genetic analyses indicated that GCY-12 acts upst

SUBMITTER: Fujiwara M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4676540 | biostudies-literature | 2015 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature