The oscillating Mucin-type protein DPY-6 has a conserved role in nematode mouth and cuticle formation.

ABSTRACT: Nematodes show an extraordinary diversity of mouth structures and strikingly different feeding strategies, which has enabled an invasion of all ecosystems. However, nearly nothing is known about the structural and molecular architecture of the nematode mouth (stoma). Pristionchus pacificus is an intensively studied nematode that exhibits unique life history traits, including predation, teeth-like denticle formation, and mouth-form plasticity. Here, we used a large-scale genetic screen to identify genes involved in mouth formation. We identified Ppa-dpy-6 to encode a Mucin-type hydrogel-forming protein that is macroscopically involved in the specification of the cheilostom, the anterior part of the mouth. We used a recently developed protocol for geometric morphometrics of miniature animals

SUBMITTER: Sun S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9208649 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature