Multiple transcription factors directly regulate Hox gene lin-39 expression in ventral hypodermal cells of the C. elegans embryo and larva, including the hypodermal fate regulators LIN-26 and ELT-6

Table 4 Reduction of transcription factor function in a lin-39 sensitized background affects VPC fusion

lin-39(n709ts); wIs79(ajm-1::GFP) animals were grown for two generations at 25° on E. coli expressing dsRNA targeting the indicated gene (except for bed-3 and lin-26 which were grown one generation due to lethality). Larvae at the mid L2 stage (17 hrs after feeding of newly hatched L1s) were examined for ajm-1::GFP expression in the vulval precursor cells. Wild type animals have either 5 or 6 VPCS with ajm-1::GFP expression at this time (due to fusion of P3.p with hyp7). The percentage of animals showing the wild type pattern is shown (n ≥ 25 animals). ‘*’ indicates P < 0.05 compared to feeding vector (FV) control (Fisher’s exact test).

ISSN: 1471-213X