Crosstalk Between the EGFR and LIN-12/Notch Pathways in C. elegans Vulval Development

• DOI: 10.1126/science.1091639
• Publication Date: 2004-01-29T22:58:21Z
• Authors: Andrew S. Yoo; Carlos Bais; Iva Greenwald
• Keywords: 0301 basic medicine; MAP Kinase Signaling System; Gene Expression Profiling; Green Fluorescent Proteins; Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; Membrane Proteins; Cell Cycle Proteins; Models, Biological; ErbB Receptors; Luminescent Proteins; 03 medical and health sciences; Lac Operon; Genes, Reporter; Morphogenesis; Animals; Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; Female; Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases; Protein Tyrosine Phosphatases; Caenorhabditis elegans; Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins; Genes, Helminth

The Caenorhabditis elegans vulva is an important paradigm for cell-cell interactions in animal development. The fates of six vulval precursor cells are patterned through the action of the epidermal growth factor receptor–mitogen-activated protein kinase (EGFR-MAPK) inductive signaling pathway, which specifies the 1° fate, and the LIN-12/Notch lateral signaling pathway, which specifies the 2° fate. Here, we provide evidence that the inductive signal is spatially graded and initially activates the EGFR-MAPK pathway in the prospective 2° cells. Subsequently, this effect is counteracted by the expression of multiple new negative regulators of the EGFR-MAPK pathway, under direct transcriptional control of the LIN-12–mediated lateral signal.