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| Subject Categories: Cell & Tissue Architecture | Development |
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| The EMBO Journal
(2007) 26, 5083–5092, doi:10.1038/sj.emboj.7601922 Published online 8 November 2007 |
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| RAP-1 and the RAL-1/exocyst pathway coordinate hypodermal cell organization in Caenorhabditis elegans |
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| Ester W Frische1, Wendy Pellis-van Berkel1, Gijs van Haaften2, Edwin Cuppen2, Ronald H A Plasterk2, Marcel Tijsterman2, Johannes L Bos1 and Fried J T Zwartkruis1 |
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1 Department of Physiological Chemistry, Centre for Biomedical Genetics, UMC Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands 2 Hubrecht Laboratory, Netherlands Institute for Developmental Biology, Utrecht, The Netherlands To whom correspondence should be addressed Fried J T Zwartkruis, Department of Physiological Chemistry, Centre for Biomedical Genetics, UMC Utrecht, Universiteitsweg 100, Utrecht 3584 CG, The Netherlands. Tel.: +31 30 2533992; Fax +31 30 2539035; E-mail: G.J.T.zwartkruis@umcutrecht.nl Received 27 April 2007; Accepted 19 October 2007; Published online 8 November 2007. |
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| Abstract |
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The small Ras-like GTPase Rap1 has been identified as a regulator of integrin activation and cadherin-mediated cell–cell contacts. Surprisingly, null mutants of RAP-1 in Caenorhabditis elegans are viable and fertile. In a synthetic lethal RNAi screen with C. elegans rap-1 mutants, the Ras-like GTPase ral-1 emerged as one of seven genes specifically required for viability. Depletion of exoc-8 and sec-5, encoding two putative RAL-1 effectors and members of the exocyst complex, also caused lethality of rap-1 mutants, but did not affect wild-type worms. The RAP-1 and the RAL-1/exocyst pathway appear to coordinate hypodermal cell movement and elongation during embryonic development. They mediate their effect in part through targeting the  -catenin homologue HMP-1 to the lateral membrane. Genetic interactions show that the RAP-1 and RAL-1/exocyst pathway also act in parallel during larval stages. Together these data provide in vivo evidence for the exocyst complex as a downstream RAL-1 effector in cell migration. |
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| Keywords: adherens junction, embryogenesis, Ral, Rap1, synthetic lethality |
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Top of page MORE ARTICLES LIKE THISThese links to content published by NPG are automatically generated RESEARCHThe EMBO Journal Article Cooperative regulation of AJM-1 controls junctional integrity in Caenorhabditis elegans epithelia Nature Cell Biology Article (01 Nov 2001) The EMBO Journal Article (12 Jan 2005) The cell junction protein VAB-9 regulates adhesion and epidermal morphology in C. elegans Nature Cell Biology Letter (01 Jul 2003) |
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