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Tissue-Specific RNA-Seq Defines Genes Governing Male Tail Tip Morphogenesis in C. Elegans
Biology Faculty Publications
  • Karin Kiontke, New York University
  • R. Antonio Herrera, Baylor School
  • D. Adam Mason, Siena College
  • Alyssa Woronik, Sacred Heart University
  • Stephanie Vernooy, Siena College
  • Yash Patel
  • David H. Fitch, New York University
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
1-1-2024
Disciplines
Abstract

Caenorhabditis elegans males undergo sex-specific tail tip morphogenesis (TTM) under the control of the transcription factor DMD-3. To find genes regulated by DMD-3, We performed RNA-seq of laser-dissected tail tips. We identified 564 genes differentially expressed (DE) in wild-type males vs. dmd-3(-) males and hermaphrodites. The transcription profile of dmd-3(-) tail tips is similar to that in hermaphrodites. For validation, we analyzed transcriptional reporters for 49 genes and found male-specific or male-biased expression for 26 genes. Only 11 DE genes overlapped with genes found in a previous RNAi screen for defective TTM. GO enrichment analysis of DE genes finds upregulation of genes within the UPR (unfolded protein response) pathway and downregulation of genes involved in cuticle maintenance. Of the DE genes, 40 are transcription factors, indicating that the gene network downstream of DMD-3 is complex and potentially modular. We propose modules of genes that act together in TTM and are coregulated by DMD-3, among them the chondroitin synthesis pathway and the hypertonic stress response.

Comments

This article is a preprint and has not been certified by peer review, January 2024.

DOI
10.1101/2024.01.12.575210
Creative Commons License
Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International
Citation Information

Kiontke, K. C., Herrera, R. A., Mason, D. A., Patel, Y., Vernooy, S., Woronik, A., & Fitch, D. H. (2024). Tissue-specific RNA-seq defines genes governing male tail tip morphogenesis in C. elegans. bioRxiv. Doi:10.1101/2024.01.12.575210