Article ID Journal Published Year Pages File Type
4322917 Neuron 2006 12 Pages PDF
Abstract

SummaryEarly in C. elegans development, signaling between bilaterally symmetric AWC olfactory neurons causes them to express different odorant receptor genes. AWC left-right asymmetry is stochastic: in each animal, either the left or the right neuron randomly becomes AWCON, and the other neuron becomes AWCOFF. Here we show that the nsy-4 gene coordinates the lateral signaling that diversifies AWCON and AWCOFF neurons. nsy-4 mutants generate 2 AWCOFF neurons, as expected if communication between the AWC neurons is lost, whereas overexpression of nsy-4 results in 2 AWCON neurons. nsy-4 encodes a transmembrane protein related to the γ subunits of voltage-activated calcium channels and the claudin superfamily; it interacts genetically with calcium channels and antagonizes a calcium-to-MAP kinase cascade in the neuron that becomes AWCON. Genetic mosaic analysis indicates that nsy-4 functions both cell-autonomously and nonautonomously in signaling between AWC neurons, providing evidence for lateral signaling and feedback that coordinate asymmetric receptor choice.

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