Caenorhabditis elegans genes sma-2, sma-3, and sma-4 define a conserved family of transforming growth factor beta pathway components.

• DOI: 10.1073/pnas.93.2.790
• Publication Date: 2002-07-26T14:34:16Z
• Authors: C Savage; P Das; A L Finelli; S R Townsend; C Y Sun; S E Baird; R W Padgett
• Keywords: Decapentaplegic; Conserved sequence

Although transforming growth factor beta (TGF-beta) superfamily ligands play critical roles in diverse developmental processes, how cells transduce signals from these is still poorly understood. Cell surface receptors for have been identified, but their cytoplasmic targets are unknown. We identified three Caenorhabditis elegans genes, sma-2, sma-3, and sma-4, that mutant phenotypes similar to those of the TGF-beta-like receptor gene daf-4, indicating they required daf-4-mediated processes. show sma-2 functions same as consistent with a role transducing receptor. These genes define protein family, dwarfins, includes Mad product, which participates decapentaplegic pathway Drosophila [Sekelsky, J. J., Newfeld, S. Raftery, L. A., Chartoff, E. H. & Gelbart, W. M. (1995) Genetics 139, 1347-1358]. The identification homologous components pathways distantly related organisms suggests dwarfins may be universally signal transduction. In fact, we isolated highly conserved vertebrates, not idiosyncratic invertebrates. analyses suggest transducers.