A Putative Catenin–Cadherin System Mediates Morphogenesis of the <i>Caenorhabditis elegans</i> Embryo

Costa, Michael A.; Raich, William B.; Agbunag, Cristina; Leung, Ben; Hardin, Jeff; Priess, James R

doi:10.1083/jcb.141.1.297

Cited by 371 publications

(477 citation statements)

References 39 publications

(62 reference statements)

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“…It has been proposed that adhesion between neighboring cells is initiated by opportunistic contacts which result in rapid accumulation of E-cadherin probably by diffusion-mediated trapping [Adams et al, 1998;Sako et al, 1998;Perez et al, 2008]. Accordingly, classic C. elegans cadherin HMR-1 is detectable at low levels in or near membranes of all cells in the early embryo [Costa et al, 1998;Petitt, 2005] and concentrates at the midline in the intestinal primordium during intracellular polarization together with HMP-1/a-catenin and HMP-2/b-catenin thereby establishing the catenin-cadherin complex (CCC). This is followed by recruitment of the DLG-1-AJM-1 complex (DAC) .…”

Section: Intestinal Morphogenesis and The Cytoskeletonmentioning

confidence: 99%

Intermediate filaments in Caenorhabditis elegans

Carberry

Wiesenfahrt

Windoffer

et al. 2009

Cell Motil. Cytoskeleton

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Intermediate filaments (IFs) make up one of the three major fibrous cytoskeletal systems in metazoans. Numerous IF polypeptides are synthesized in cell typespecific combinations suggesting specialized functions. The review concentrates on IFs in the model organism Caenorhabditis elegans which carries great promise to elucidate the still unresolved mechanisms of IF assembly into complex networks and to determine IF function in a living organism. In contrast to Drosophila melanogaster, which lacks cytoplasmic IFs altogether, the nematode genome contains 11 genes coding for cytoplasmic IFs and only a single gene for a nuclear lamin. Its cytoplasmic IFs are expressed in developmentally and spatially defined patterns. As an example we present the case of the intestinal IFs which are abundant in the mechanically resilient endotube, a prominent feature of the C. elegans intestinal terminal web region. This IF-rich structure brings together all three cytoskeletal filaments that are integrated into a coherent entity by the C. elegans apical junction (CeAJ) thereby completely surrounding and stabilizing the intestinal lumen with its characteristic brush border. Concepts on the developmental establishment of the endotube in relation to polarization and its function for maintenance of epithelial integrity are discussed. Furthermore, possible connections of the cytoplasmic cytoskeleton to the nuclear lamin IFs and the importance of these links for nuclear positioning are summarized. Cell

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Section: Intestinal Morphogenesis and The Cytoskeletonmentioning

confidence: 99%

Intermediate filaments in Caenorhabditis elegans

Carberry

Wiesenfahrt

Windoffer

et al. 2009

Cell Motil. Cytoskeleton

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“…One possibility is in the conversion of epithelial or neuroepithelial cells into migratory cells. Cadherin-mediated adhesion at adherens junctions is an essential requisite for the integrity of epithelial layers (however, see Costa et al, 1998). It is only at prescribed developmental times and places, or during pathologic changes, that cells are set free of their neighbors to migrate and participate in new tissue formation.…”

Section: The Players the Plot And Now The Stage Epithelial Mesenchymentioning

confidence: 99%

Turn‐off, drop‐out: Functional state switching of cadherins

Lilien

Balsamo

Arregui

et al. 2002

Developmental Dynamics

147

116

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The classic cadherins are a group of calcium dependent, homophilic cell-cell adhesion molecules that drive morphogenetic rearrangements and maintain the integrity of cell groups through the formation of adherens junctions. The formation and maintenance of cadherin-mediated adhesions is a multistep process and mechanisms have evolved to regulate each step. This suggests that functional state switching plays an important role in development. Among the many challenges ahead is to determine the developmental role that functional state switching plays in tissue morphogenesis and to define the roles of each of the several regulatory interactions that participate in switching. One correlate of the loss of cadherinmediated adhesion, the "turn-off" of cadherin function, is the exit, or "drop-out" of cells from neural and epithelial layers and their conversion to a motile phenotype. We suggest that epithelial mesenchymal conversions may be initiated by signaling pathways that result in the loss of cadherin function. Tyrosine phosphorylation of ␤-catenin is one such mechanism. Enhanced phosphorylation of tyrosine residues on ␤-catenin is almost invariably associated with loss of the cadherin-actin connection concomitant with loss of adhesive function. There are several tyrosine kinases and phosphatases that have been shown to have the potential to alter the phosphorylation state of ␤-catenin and thus the function of cadherins. Our laboratory has focused on the role of the nonreceptor tyrosine phosphatase PTP1B in regulating the phosphorylation of ␤-catenin on tyrosine residues. Our data suggest that PTP1B is crucial for maintenance of N-cadherin-mediated adhesions in embryonic neural retina cells. By using an L-cell model system constitutively expressing N-cadherin, we have worked out many of the molecular interactions essential for this regulatory interaction. Extracellular cues that bias this critical regulatory interaction toward increased phosphorylation of ␤-catenin may be a critical component of many developmental events.

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“…It is unknown how the anterior hypodermis forms and connects to the main body hypodermis. Mutant analyses have identified several genes involved in epiboly, closure, and elongation (Costa et al, 1998;Chin-Sang and Chisholm, 2000;Simske and Hardin, 2001). Closure at the very tip of the head is genetically separable from the other morphogenetic events, as anterior defects appear as their own group in a deficiency screen for loci involved in morphogenesis (Labouesse, 1997).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Caenorhabditis elegans Distal‐less ortholog ceh‐43 is required for development of the anterior hypodermis

Aspöck

Bürglin

2001

Developmental Dynamics

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Homeobox genes of the Distalless (Dll) class are expressed in developing appendages as well as in the central nervous system in invertebrates and vertebrates. Mutant analyses in mice and Drosophila have implicated these genes in outgrowth of structures, cell adhesion, cell migration, and cell fate decisions. We have investigated the expression and function of ceh-43, the Dll ortholog from the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans, by using gfp reporter constructs and double-stranded RNA-mediated interference (RNAi). Our results show that, as in the fly, the C. elegans Dll ortholog seems to play a role in cell adhesion. An antibody against the butterfly Distal-less homeodomain stains the nervous system of C. elegans embryos (Panganiban et al. [1997] Proc Natl Acad Sci USA. 94:5162-5166). GFP expression under the control of the ceh-43 promoter looks similar, although strong expression is primarily confined to the head hypodermis and to neuronal support cells. ceh-43(RNAi) results in 100% lethality at embryonic or early larval stages. At the beginning of morphogenesis, ceh-43(RNAi) embryos start to lose cells through a hole in the head hypodermis. They either rupture anteriorly as elongation proceeds, or they elongate normally to threefold egg length with the pharynx not connected to the mouth. Elongated ceh-43(RNAi) animals die before or soon after hatching with a fluid-filled pseudocoel and large vacuoles. These phenotypes suggest a role for ceh-43 in development of adhesive properties in the head hypodermis that connects the epithelia of the skin and the digestive tract. Furthermore, possible defects in the excretory system may result at least in part from a requirement for ceh-43 in the CAN neurons where ceh-43::gfp is also expressed.

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A Putative Catenin–Cadherin System Mediates Morphogenesis of the Caenorhabditis elegans Embryo

Cited by 371 publications

References 39 publications

Intermediate filaments in Caenorhabditis elegans

Intermediate filaments in Caenorhabditis elegans

Turn‐off, drop‐out: Functional state switching of cadherins

The Caenorhabditis elegans Distal‐less ortholog ceh‐43 is required for development of the anterior hypodermis

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