Wnt signaling controls the stem cell-like asymmetric division of the epithelial seam cells during C. elegans larval development

EFL-3/E2F7 modulates Wnt signalling by repressing the Nemo-like kinase LIT-1 during asymmetric epidermal cell division in Caenorhabditis elegans

The E2F family of transcription factors is conserved in higher eukaryotes and plays pivotal roles in controlling gene expression during the cell cycle. Most canonical E2Fs associate with members of the Dimerisation Partner (DP) family to activate or repress target genes. However, atypical repressors, such as E2F7 and E2F8, lack DP interaction domains and their functions are less understood. We report here that EFL-3, the E2F7 homologue of Caenorhabditis elegans, regulates epidermal stem cell differentiation. We show that phenotypic defects in efl-3 mutants depend on the Nemo-like kinase LIT-1. EFL-3 represses lit-1 expression through direct binding to a lit-1 intronic element. Increased LIT-1 expression in efl-3 mutants reduces POP-1/TCF nuclear distribution, and consequently alters Wnt pathway activation. Our findings provide a mechanistic link between an atypical E2F family member and NLK during C. elegans asymmetric cell division, which may be conserved in other animals.

UBR-5 and UBE2D mediate timely exit from stem fate via destabilization of poly(A)-binding protein PABP-2 in cell state transition

UBR5 E3 ligase has been associated with cancer susceptibility and neuronal integrity, with functions in chromatin regulation and proteostasis. However, the functions of ubr5 within animals remain unclear due to lethality in both mammals and flies when disrupted. Using Caenorhabditis elegans, we show that UBR-5 E3 ligase is required for timely exit of stem fate and complete transition into multiple cell type descendants in an ectodermal blast lineage. Animals lacking intact UBR-5 function simultaneously exhibit both stem fate and differentiated fate in the same descendant cells. A functional screen of UBR-5 physical interactors allowed us to identify the UBE2D2/3 E2 conjugase LET-70 working with UBR-5 to exit stem fate. Strikingly, we revealed that another UBR-5 physical interactor, namely the nuclear poly(A)-binding protein PABPN1 ortholog PABP-2, worked antagonistically to UBR-5 and LET-70. Lowering pabp-2 levels restored normal transition of cell state out of stemness and promoted normal cell fusion when either ubr-5 or let-70 UBE2D function was compromised. The UBR-5-LET-70 and PABP-2 switch works independently of the stem pool size determined by pluripotency factors like lin-28. UBR-5 limits PABP-2 protein and reverses the PABP-2-dependent gene expression program including developmental, proteostasis, and innate immunity genes. Loss of ubr-5 rescues the developmental stall when pabp-2 is compromised. Disruption of ubr-5 elevates PABP-2 levels and prolongs expression of ectodermal and muscle stem markers at the transition to adulthood. Additionally, ubr-5 mutants exhibit an extended period of motility during aging and suppress pabp-2-dependent early onset of immobility.

Dynein directs prophase centrosome migration to control the stem cell division axis in the developing Caenorhabditis elegans epidermis

The microtubule motor dynein is critical for the assembly and positioning of mitotic spindles. In Caenorhabditis elegans, these dynein functions have been extensively studied in the early embryo but remain poorly explored in other developmental contexts. Here, we use a hypomorphic dynein mutant to investigate the motor's contribution to asymmetric stem cell-like divisions in the larval epidermis. Live imaging of seam cell divisions that precede formation of the seam syncytium shows that mutant cells properly assemble but frequently misorient their spindle. Misoriented divisions misplace daughter cells from the seam cell row, generate anucleate compartments due to aberrant cytokinesis, and disrupt asymmetric cell fate inheritance. Consequently, the seam becomes disorganized and populated with extra cells that have lost seam identity, leading to fatal epidermal rupture. We show that dynein orients the spindle through the cortical GOA-1Gα-LIN-5NuMA pathway by directing the migration of prophase centrosomes along the anterior-posterior axis. Spindle misorientation in the dynein mutant can be partially rescued by elongating cells, implying that dynein-dependent force generation and cell shape jointly promote correct asymmetric division of epithelial stem cells.

Mechanisms of lineage specification in Caenorhabditis elegans

The studies of cell fate and lineage specification are fundamental to our understanding of the development of multicellular organisms. Caenorhabditis elegans has been one of the premiere systems for studying cell fate specification mechanisms at single cell resolution, due to its transparent nature, the invariant cell lineage, and fixed number of somatic cells. We discuss the general themes and regulatory mechanisms that have emerged from these studies, with a focus on somatic lineages and cell fates. We next review the key factors and pathways that regulate the specification of discrete cells and lineages during embryogenesis and postembryonic development; we focus on transcription factors and include numerous lineage diagrams that depict the expression of key factors that specify embryonic founder cells and postembryonic blast cells, and the diverse somatic cell fates they generate. We end by discussing some future perspectives in cell and lineage specification.

Haspin balances the ratio of asymmetric cell division through Wnt5a and regulates cell fate decisions in mouse embryonic stem cells

Many different types of stem cells utilize asymmetric cell division (ACD) to produce two daughter cells with distinct fates. Haspin-catalyzed phosphorylation of histone H3 at Thr3 (H3T3ph) plays important roles during mitosis, including ACD in stem cells. However, whether and how Haspin functions in ACD regulation remains unclear. Here, we report that Haspin knockout (Haspin-KO) mouse embryonic stem cells (mESCs) had increased ratio of ACD, which cumulatively regulates cell fate decisions. Furthermore, Wnt5a is significantly downregulated due to decreased Pax2 in Haspin-KO mESCs. Wnt5a knockdown mESCs phenocopied Haspin-KO cells while overexpression of Wnt5a in Haspin-KO cells rescued disproportionated ACD. Collectively, Haspin is indispensable for mESCs to maintain a balanced ratio of ACD, which is essential for normal development and homeostasis.

Cabin1 domain-containing gene picd-1 interacts with pry-1/Axin to regulate multiple processes in Caenorhabditis elegans

The Axin family of scaffolding proteins control diverse processes, such as facilitating the interactions between cellular components and providing specificity to signaling pathways. While several Axin family members have been discovered in metazoans and shown to play crucial roles, their mechanism of action are not well understood. The Caenorhabditis elegans Axin homolog, pry-1, is a powerful tool for identifying interacting genes and downstream effectors that function in a conserved manner to regulate Axin-mediated signaling. Our lab and others have established pry-1's essential role in developmental processes that affect the reproductive system, seam cells, and a posterior P lineage cell, P11.p. Additionally, pry-1 is crucial for lipid metabolism, stress responses, and aging. In this study, we expanded on our previous work on pry-1 by reporting a novel interacting gene named picd-1 (pry-1-interacting and Cabin1 domain-containing). PICD-1 protein shares sequence conservation with CABIN1, a component of the HUCA complex. Our findings have revealed that PICD-1 is involved in several pry-1-mediated processes, including stress response and lifespan maintenance. picd-1's expression overlapped with that of pry-1 in multiple tissues throughout the lifespan. Furthermore, PRY-1 and PICD-1 inhibited CREB-regulated transcriptional coactivator homolog CRTC-1, which promotes longevity in a calcineurin-dependent manner. Overall, our study has demonstrated that picd-1 is necessary for mediating pry-1 function and provides the basis to investigate whether Cabin-1 domain-containing protein plays a similar role in Axin signaling in other systems.

Cryptic genetic variation in a heat shock protein modifies the outcome of a mutation affecting epidermal stem cell development in C. elegans

A fundamental question in medical genetics is how the genetic background modifies the phenotypic outcome of mutations. We address this question by focusing on the seam cells, which display stem cell properties in the epidermis of Caenorhabditis elegans. We demonstrate that a putative null mutation in the GATA transcription factor egl-18, which is involved in seam cell fate maintenance, is more tolerated in the CB4856 isolate from Hawaii than the lab reference strain N2 from Bristol. We identify multiple quantitative trait loci (QTLs) underlying the difference in phenotype expressivity between the two isolates. These QTLs reveal cryptic genetic variation that reinforces seam cell fate through potentiating Wnt signalling. Within one QTL region, a single amino acid deletion in the heat shock protein HSP-110 in CB4856 is sufficient to modify Wnt signalling and seam cell development, highlighting that natural variation in conserved heat shock proteins can shape phenotype expressivity.

How the genetic background modifies the expression of mutations is a key question that is addressed in this study in the context of seam cell development in Caenorhabditis elegans isolates. One amino acid deletion in a conserved heat shock protein is sufficient to shape phenotype expressivity upon mutation of a GATA transcription factor.

Phenotypic Robustness of Epidermal Stem Cell Number in C. elegans Is Modulated by the Activity of the Conserved N-acetyltransferase nath-10/NAT10

Individual cells and organisms experience perturbations from internal and external sources, yet manage to buffer these to produce consistent phenotypes, a property known as robustness. While phenotypic robustness has often been examined in unicellular organisms, it has not been sufficiently studied in multicellular animals. Here, we investigate phenotypic robustness in Caenorhabditis elegans seam cells. Seam cells are stem cell-like epithelial cells along the lateral edges of the animal, which go through asymmetric and symmetric divisions contributing cells to the hypodermis and neurons, while replenishing the stem cell reservoir. The terminal number of seam cells is almost invariant in the wild-type population, allowing the investigation of how developmental precision is achieved. We report here that a loss-of-function mutation in the highly conserved N-acetyltransferase nath-10/NAT10 increases seam cell number variance in the isogenic population. RNA-seq analysis revealed increased levels of mRNA transcript variability in nath-10 mutant populations, which may have an impact on the phenotypic variability observed. Furthermore, we found disruption of Wnt signaling upon perturbing nath-10 function, as evidenced by changes in POP-1/TCF nuclear distribution and ectopic activation of its GATA transcription factor target egl-18. These results highlight that NATH-10/NAT-10 can influence phenotypic variability partly through modulation of the Wnt signaling pathway.

A Cell Fate Switch in the Caenorhabditis elegans Seam Cell Lineage Occurs Through Modulation of the Wnt Asymmetry Pathway in Response to Temperature Increase

Populations often display consistent developmental phenotypes across individuals despite inevitable biological stochasticity. Nevertheless, developmental robustness has limits, and systems can fail upon change in the environment or the genetic background. We use here the seam cells, a population of epidermal stem cells in Caenorhabditis elegans, to study the influence of temperature change and genetic variation on cell fate. Seam cell development has mostly been studied so far in the laboratory reference strain (N2), grown at 20° temperature. We demonstrate that an increase in culture temperature to 25° introduces variability in the wild-type seam cell lineage, with a proportion of animals showing an increase in seam cell number. We map this increase to lineage-specific symmetrization events of normally asymmetric cell divisions at the fourth larval stage, leading to the retention of seam cell fate in both daughter cells. Using genetics and single-molecule imaging, we demonstrate that this symmetrization occurs via changes in the Wnt asymmetry pathway, leading to aberrant Wnt target activation in anterior cell daughters. We find that intrinsic differences in the Wnt asymmetry pathway already exist between seam cells at 20° and this may sensitize cells toward a cell fate switch at increased temperature. Finally, we demonstrate that wild isolates of C. elegans display variation in seam cell sensitivity to increased culture temperature, although their average seam cell number is comparable at 20°. Our results highlight how temperature can modulate cell fate decisions in an invertebrate model of stem cell patterning.

Caudal-dependent cell positioning directs morphogenesis of the C. elegans ventral epidermis

Strikingly, epithelial morphogenesis remains incomplete at the end of C. elegans embryonic development; newly hatched larvae undergo extensive remodelling of their ventral epidermis during the first larval stage (L1), when newly-born epidermal cells move ventrally to complete the epidermal syncytium. Prior to this remodelling, undivided lateral seam cells produce anterior adherens junction processes that are inherited by the anterior daughter cells following an asymmetric division during L1. These adherens junction processes provide the ventral migratory route for these anterior daughters. Here, we show that these processes are perturbed in pal-1/caudal mutant animals, resulting in their inheritance by posterior, seam-fated daughters. This causes aberrant migration of seam daughter cells, disrupting the ventral epidermis. Using 4D-lineaging, we demonstrate that this larval epidermal morphogenesis defect in pal-1 mutants can be traced directly back to an initial cell positioning defect in the embryo. pal-1 expression, driven by a single intronic enhancer, is required to correctly position the seam cells in embryos such that the appropriate cell junctions support the correct migratory paths of seam daughters later in development, irrespective of their fate. Thus, during ventral epithelial remodelling in C. elegans, we show that the position of migrating cells, specified by pal-1/caudal, appears to be more important than their fate in driving morphogenesis.

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caudal/pal-1 is required to form the correct cell junctions during embryogenesis.

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Correctly placed cell junctions direct larval ventral epithelial cell migration.

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larval epithelial cell migration occurs independently of cell fate.

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Embryonic epidermal expression of pal-1 is dependent on a single intronic enhancer.

C. elegans Runx/CBFβ suppresses POP-1 TCF to convert asymmetric to proliferative division of stem cell-like seam cells

A correct balance between proliferative and asymmetric cell divisions underlies normal development, stem cell maintenance and tissue homeostasis. What determines whether cells undergo symmetric or asymmetric cell division is poorly understood. To gain insight into the mechanisms involved, we studied the stem cell-like seam cells in the Caenorhabditis elegans epidermis. Seam cells go through a reproducible pattern of asymmetric divisions, instructed by divergent canonical Wnt/β-catenin signaling, and symmetric divisions that increase the seam cell number. Using time-lapse fluorescence microscopy we observed that symmetric cell divisions maintain asymmetric localization of Wnt/β-catenin pathway components. Our observations, based on lineage-specific knockout and GFP-tagging of endogenous pop-1, support the model that POP-1^TCF induces differentiation at a high nuclear level, whereas low nuclear POP-1 promotes seam cell self-renewal. Before symmetric division, the transcriptional regulator RNT-1^Runx and cofactor BRO-1^CBFβ temporarily bypass Wnt/β-catenin asymmetry by downregulating pop-1 expression. Thereby, RNT-1/BRO-1 appears to render POP-1 below the level required for its repressor function, which converts differentiation into self-renewal. Thus, we found that conserved Runx/CBFβ-type stem cell regulators switch asymmetric to proliferative cell division by opposing TCF-related transcriptional repression.

Summary: To switch asymmetric to proliferative cell division, the C. elegans RNT-1/BRO-1 transcriptional repressor opposes POP-1 TCF expression in seam stem cells, which turns POP-1-induced differentiation into self-renewal.

Axin Family of Scaffolding Proteins in Development: Lessons from C. elegans

Scaffold proteins serve important roles in cellular signaling by integrating inputs from multiple signaling molecules to regulate downstream effectors that, in turn, carry out specific biological functions. One such protein, Axin, represents a major evolutionarily conserved scaffold protein in metazoans that participates in the WNT pathway and other pathways to regulate diverse cellular processes. This review summarizes the vast amount of literature on the regulation and functions of the Axin family of genes in eukaryotes, with a specific focus on Caenorhabditis elegans development. By combining early studies with recent findings, the review is aimed to serve as an updated reference for the roles of Axin in C. elegans and other model systems.

Role of PRY-1/Axin in heterochronic miRNA-mediated seam cell development

Background

Caenorhabditis elegans seam cells serve as a good model to understand how genes and signaling pathways interact to control asymmetric cell fates. The stage-specific pattern of seam cell division is coordinated by a genetic network that includes WNT asymmetry pathway components WRM-1, LIT-1, and POP-1, as well as heterochronic microRNAs (miRNAs) and their downstream targets. Mutations in pry-1, a negative regulator of WNT signaling that belongs to the Axin family, were shown to cause seam cell defects; however, the mechanism of PRY-1 action and its interactions with miRNAs remain unclear.

Results

We found that pry-1 mutants in C. elegans exhibit seam cell, cuticle, and alae defects. To examine this further, a miRNA transcriptome analysis was carried out, which showed that let-7 (miR-48, miR-84, miR-241) and lin-4 (lin-4, miR-237) family members were upregulated in the absence of pry-1 function. Similar phenotypes and patterns of miRNA overexpression were also observed in C. briggsae pry-1 mutants, a species that is closely related to C. elegans. RNA interference-mediated silencing of wrm-1 and lit-1 in the C. elegans pry-1 mutants rescued the seam cell defect, whereas pop-1 silencing enhanced the phenotype, suggesting that all three proteins are likely important for PRY-1 function in seam cells. We also found that these miRNAs were overexpressed in pop-1 hypomorphic animals, suggesting that PRY-1 may be required for POP-1-mediated miRNA suppression. Analysis of the let-7 and lin-4-family heterochronic targets, lin-28 and hbl-1, showed that both genes were significantly downregulated in pry-1 mutants, and furthermore, lin-28 silencing reduced the number of seam cells in mutant animals.

Conclusions

Our results show that PRY-1 plays a conserved role to maintain normal expression of heterochronic miRNAs in nematodes. Furthermore, we demonstrated that PRY-1 acts upstream of the WNT asymmetry pathway components WRM-1, LIT-1, and POP-1, and miRNA target genes in seam cell development.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (10.1186/s12861-019-0197-5) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Bayesian Detection of Abnormal Asynchrony of Division Between Sister Cells in Mutant Caenorhabditis elegans Embryos

Cell division timing is critical for cell fate specification and morphogenesis during embryogenesis, but how division timings are regulated among cells during development is poorly understood. In this article, we focus on the comparison of asynchrony of division, that is, difference of lifetime, between sister cells (ADS) among wild-type and mutant individuals of Caenorhabditis elegans. On the one hand, due to extreme imbalance between wild-type individuals and mutant-type samples, direct comparison of two distributions of ADS between wild type and mutant type is not feasible. On the other hand, we originally found that the ADS is correlated with the lifespan of the corresponding mother cell in wild type. Hence, a semiparametric Bayesian quantile regression method where lifetime of the mother cell is taken as covariate is developed to estimate the 95% confidence curve of ADS in wild type and then ADS of mutant type is classified as abnormal if outside the corresponding confidence interval. A high accuracy of our method is demonstrated by a large-scale simulation study. Real data analysis shows that ADS is related to gene function and expression quantitatively.

ZYG-1 promotes limited centriole amplification in the C. elegans seam lineage

Genome stability relies notably on the integrity of centrosomes and on the mitotic spindle they organize. Structural and numerical centrosome aberrations are frequently observed in human cancer, and there is increasing evidence that centrosome amplification can promote tumorigenesis. Here, we use C. elegans seam cells as a model system to analyze centrosome homeostasis in the context of a stereotyped stem like lineage. We found that overexpression of the Plk4-related kinase ZYG-1 leads to the formation of one supernumerary centriolar focus per parental centriole during the cell cycle that leads to the sole symmetric division in the seam lineage. In the following cell cycle, such supernumerary foci function as microtubule organizing centers, but do not cluster during mitosis, resulting in the formation of a multipolar spindle and then aneuploid daughter cells. Intriguingly, we found also that supernumerary centriolar foci do not assemble in the asymmetric cell divisions that precedes or that follows the symmetric seam cell division, despite the similar presence of GFP::ZYG-1. Furthermore, we established that supernumerary centrioles form earlier during development in animals depleted of the heterochronic gene lin-14, in which the symmetric division is precocious. Conversely, supernumerary centrioles are essentially not observed in animals depleted of lin-28, in which the symmetric division is lacking. These findings lead us to conclude that ZYG-1 promotes limited centriole amplification solely during the symmetric division in the C. elegans seam lineage.

Stochastic loss and gain of symmetric divisions in the C. elegans epidermis perturbs robustness of stem cell number

Biological systems are subject to inherent stochasticity. Nevertheless, development is remarkably robust, ensuring the consistency of key phenotypic traits such as correct cell numbers in a certain tissue. It is currently unclear which genes modulate phenotypic variability, what their relationship is to core components of developmental gene networks, and what is the developmental basis of variable phenotypes. Here, we start addressing these questions using the robust number of Caenorhabditis elegans epidermal stem cells, known as seam cells, as a readout. We employ genetics, cell lineage tracing, and single molecule imaging to show that mutations in lin-22, a Hes-related basic helix-loop-helix (bHLH) transcription factor, increase seam cell number variability. We show that the increase in phenotypic variability is due to stochastic conversion of normally symmetric cell divisions to asymmetric and vice versa during development, which affect the terminal seam cell number in opposing directions. We demonstrate that LIN-22 acts within the epidermal gene network to antagonise the Wnt signalling pathway. However, lin-22 mutants exhibit cell-to-cell variability in Wnt pathway activation, which correlates with and may drive phenotypic variability. Our study demonstrates the feasibility to study phenotypic trait variance in tractable model organisms using unbiased mutagenesis screens.

Non-muscle myosin II is required for correct fate specification in the Caenorhabditis elegans seam cell divisions

During development, cell division often generates two daughters with different developmental fates. Distinct daughter identities can result from the physical polarity and size asymmetry itself, as well as the subsequent activation of distinct fate programmes in each daughter. Asymmetric divisions are a feature of the C. elegans seam lineage, in which a series of post-embryonic, stem-like asymmetric divisions give rise to an anterior daughter that differentiates and a posterior daughter that continues to divide. Here we have investigated the role of non-muscle myosin II (nmy-2) in these asymmetric divisions. We show that nmy-2 does not appear to be involved in generating physical division asymmetry, but nonetheless is important for specifying differential cell fate. While cell polarity appears normal, and chromosome and furrow positioning remains unchanged when nmy-2 is inactivated, seam cell loss occurs through inappropriate terminal differentiation of posterior daughters. This reveals a role for nmy-2 in cell fate determination not obviously linked to the primary polarity determination mechanisms it has been previously associated with.

Wnt Signaling Polarizes C. elegans Asymmetric Cell Divisions During Development

Asymmetric cell division is a common mode of cell differentiation during the invariant lineage of the nematode, C. elegans. Beginning at the four-cell stage, and continuing throughout embryogenesis and larval development, mother cells are polarized by Wnt ligands, causing an asymmetric inheritance of key members of a Wnt/β-catenin signal transduction pathway termed the Wnt/β-catenin asymmetry pathway. The resulting daughter cells are distinct at birth with one daughter cell activating Wnt target gene expression via β-catenin activation of TCF, while the other daughter displays transcriptional repression of these target genes. Here, we seek to review the body of evidence underlying a unified model for Wnt-driven asymmetric cell division in C. elegans, identify global themes that occur during asymmetric cell division, as well as highlight tissue-specific variations. We also discuss outstanding questions that remain unanswered regarding this intriguing mode of asymmetric cell division.

RUNX in Invertebrates

Runx genes have been identified in all metazoans and considerable conservation of function observed across a wide range of phyla. Thus, insight gained from studying simple model organisms is invaluable in understanding RUNX biology in higher animals. Consequently, this chapter will focus on the Runx genes in the diploblasts, which includes sea anemones and sponges, as well as the lower triploblasts, including the sea urchin, nematode, planaria and insect. Due to the high degree of functional redundancy amongst vertebrate Runx genes, simpler model organisms with a solo Runx gene, like C. elegans, are invaluable systems in which to probe the molecular basis of RUNX function within a whole organism. Additionally, comparative analyses of Runx sequence and function allows for the development of novel evolutionary insights. Strikingly, recent data has emerged that reveals the presence of a Runx gene in a protist, demonstrating even more widespread occurrence of Runx genes than was previously thought. This review will summarize recent progress in using invertebrate organisms to investigate RUNX function during development and regeneration, highlighting emerging unifying themes.

β-catenin-driven binary cell fate decisions in animal development

The Wnt/β‐catenin pathway plays key roles during animal development. In several species, β‐catenin is used in a reiterative manner to regulate cell fate diversification between daughter cells following division. This binary cell fate specification mechanism has been observed in animals that belong to very diverse phyla: the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans, the annelid Platynereis, and the ascidian Ciona. It may also play a role in the regulation of several stem cell lineages in vertebrates. While the molecular mechanism behind this binary cell fate switch is not fully understood, it appears that both secreted Wnt ligands and asymmetric cortical factors contribute to the generation of the difference in nuclear β‐catenin levels between daughter cells. β‐Catenin then cooperates with lineage specific transcription factors to induce the expression of novel sets of transcription factors at each round of divisions, thereby diversifying cell fate. WIREs Dev Biol 2016, 5:377–388. doi: 10.1002/wdev.228

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Unique and redundant β-catenin regulatory roles of two Dishevelled paralogs during C. elegans asymmetric cell division

The Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway is utilized across metazoans. However, the mechanism of signal transduction, especially dissociation of the β-catenin destruction complex by Dishevelled proteins, remains controversial. Here, we describe the function of the Dishevelled paralogs DSH-2 and MIG-5 in the Wnt/β-catenin asymmetry (WβA) pathway in Caenorhabditis elegans, where WβA drives asymmetric cell divisions throughout development. We find that DSH-2 and MIG-5 redundantly regulate cell fate in hypodermal seam cells. Similarly, both DSH-2 and MIG-5 are required for positive regulation of SYS-1 (a C. elegans β-catenin), but MIG-5 has a stronger effect on the polarity of SYS-1 localization. We show that MIG-5 controls cortical APR-1 (the C. elegans APC) localization. DSH-2 and MIG-5 both regulate the localization of WRM-1 (another C. elegans β-catenin), acting together as negative regulators of WRM-1 nuclear localization. Finally, we demonstrate that overexpression of DSH-2 or MIG-5 in seam cells leads to stabilization of SYS-1 in the anterior seam daughter, solidifying the Dishevelled proteins as positive regulators of SYS-1. Overall, we have further defined the role of Dishevelled in the WβA signaling pathway, and demonstrated that DSH-2 and MIG-5 regulate cell fate, β-catenin nuclear levels and the polarity of β-catenin regulation.

Asymmetric Wnt Pathway Signaling Facilitates Stem Cell-Like Divisions via the Nonreceptor Tyrosine Kinase FRK-1 in Caenorhabditis elegans

Asymmetric cell division is critical during development, as it influences processes such as cell fate specification and cell migration. We have characterized FRK-1, a homolog of the mammalian Fer nonreceptor tyrosine kinase, and found it to be required for differentiation and maintenance of epithelial cell types, including the stem cell-like seam cells of the hypodermis. A genomic knockout of frk-1, allele ok760, results in severely uncoordinated larvae that arrest at the L1 stage and have an excess number of lateral hypodermal cells that appear to have lost asymmetry in the stem cell-like divisions of the seam cell lineage. frk-1(ok760) mutants show that there are excess lateral hypodermal cells that are abnormally shaped and smaller in size compared to wild type, a defect that could be rescued only in a manner dependent on the kinase activity of FRK-1. Additionally, we observed a significant change in the expression of heterochronic regulators in frk-1(ok760) mutants. However, frk-1(ok760) mutants do not express late, nonseam hypodermal GFP markers, suggesting the seam cells do not precociously differentiate as adult-hyp7 cells. Finally, our data also demonstrate a clear role for FRK-1 in seam cell proliferation, as eliminating FRK-1 during the L3-L4 transition results in supernumerary seam cell nuclei that are dependent on asymmetric Wnt signaling. Specifically, we observe aberrant POP-1 and WRM-1 localization that is dependent on the presence of FRK-1 and APR-1. Overall, our data suggest a requirement for FRK-1 in maintaining the identity and proliferation of seam cells primarily through an interaction with the asymmetric Wnt pathway.

Systems-level quantification of division timing reveals a common genetic architecture controlling asynchrony and fate asymmetry

Coordination of cell division timing is crucial for proper cell fate specification and tissue growth. However, the differential regulation of cell division timing across or within cell types during metazoan development remains poorly understood. To elucidate the systems-level genetic architecture coordinating division timing, we performed a high-content screening for genes whose depletion produced a significant reduction in the asynchrony of division between sister cells (ADS) compared to that of wild-type during Caenorhabditis elegans embryogenesis. We quantified division timing using 3D time-lapse imaging followed by computer-aided lineage analysis. A total of 822 genes were selected for perturbation based on their conservation and known roles in development. Surprisingly, we find that cell fate determinants are not only essential for establishing fate asymmetry, but also are imperative for setting the ADS regardless of cellular context, indicating a common genetic architecture used by both cellular processes. The fate determinants demonstrate either coupled or separate regulation between the two processes. The temporal coordination appears to facilitate cell migration during fate specification or tissue growth. Our quantitative dataset with cellular resolution provides a resource for future analyses of the genetic control of spatial and temporal coordination during metazoan development.

Identification of Wnt Pathway Target Genes Regulating the Division and Differentiation of Larval Seam Cells and Vulval Precursor Cells in Caenorhabditis elegans

The evolutionarily conserved Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway plays a fundamental role during metazoan development, regulating numerous processes including cell fate specification, cell migration, and stem cell renewal. Wnt ligand binding leads to stabilization of the transcriptional effector β-catenin and upregulation of target gene expression to mediate a cellular response. During larval development of the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans, Wnt/β-catenin pathways act in fate specification of two hypodermal cell types, the ventral vulval precursor cells (VPCs) and the lateral seam cells. Because little is known about targets of the Wnt signaling pathways acting during larval VPC and seam cell differentiation, we sought to identify genes regulated by Wnt signaling in these two hypodermal cell types. We conditionally activated Wnt signaling in larval animals and performed cell type-specific "mRNA tagging" to enrich for VPC and seam cell-specific mRNAs, and then used microarray analysis to examine gene expression compared to control animals. Two hundred thirty-nine genes activated in response to Wnt signaling were identified, and we characterized 50 genes further. The majority of these genes are expressed in seam and/or vulval lineages during normal development, and reduction of function for nine genes caused defects in the proper division, fate specification, fate execution, or differentiation of seam cells and vulval cells. Therefore, the combination of these techniques was successful at identifying potential cell type-specific Wnt pathway target genes from a small number of cells and at increasing our knowledge of the specification and behavior of these C. elegans larval hypodermal cells.

The Tumor Suppressor BCL7B Functions in the Wnt Signaling Pathway

Human BCL7 gene family consists of BCL7A, BCL7B, and BCL7C. A number of clinical studies have reported that BCL7 family is involved in cancer incidence, progression, and development. Among them, BCL7B, located on chromosome 7q11.23, is one of the deleted genes in patients with Williams-Beuren syndrome. Although several studies have suggested that malignant diseases occurring in patients with Williams-Beuren syndrome are associated with aberrations in BCL7B, little is known regarding the function of this gene at the cellular level. In this study, we focused on bcl-7, which is the only homolog of BCL7 gene family in Caenorhabditis elegans, and analyzed bcl-7 deletion mutants. As a result, we found that bcl-7 is required for the asymmetric differentiation of epithelial seam cells, which have self-renewal properties as stem cells and divide asymmetrically through the WNT pathway. Distal tip cell development, which is regulated by the WNT pathway in Caenorhabditis elegans, was also affected in bcl-7-knockout mutants. Interestingly, bcl-7 mutants exhibited nuclear enlargement, reminiscent of the anaplastic features of malignant cells. Furthermore, in KATOIII human gastric cancer cells, BCL7B knockdown induced nuclear enlargement, promoted the multinuclei phenotype and suppressed cell death. In addition, this study showed that BCL7B negatively regulates the Wnt-signaling pathway and positively regulates the apoptotic pathway. Taken together, our data indicate that BCL7B/BCL-7 has some roles in maintaining the structure of nuclei and is involved in the modulation of multiple pathways, including Wnt and apoptosis. This study may implicate a risk of malignancies with BCL7B-deficiency, such as Williams-Beuren syndrome.

BCL7B, a member of the human BCL7 gene family, is deleted in patients with Williams-Beuren syndrome. Although several clinical studies have suggested that malignant diseases occurring in patients with Williams-Beuren syndrome are associated with aberrations in BCL7B, little is known regarding the physiological function of this gene. Here, we show that bcl-7, the only homolog of BCL7 gene family in Caenorhabditis elegans, regulates asymmetric cell differentiation in somatic “stem-like” seam cells through at least the Wnt pathway and promotes the apoptotic pathway. In addition, bcl-7 deletion mutants show enlarged nuclei in epidermis and germ cells. Furthermore, in KATOIII human gastric cancer cells, BCL7B knockdown induces nuclear enlargement, as observed in Caenorhabditis elegans, and promotes the multinucleated phenotype, both of which are reminiscent of malignant diseases. BCL7B also negatively regulates the Wnt-signaling pathway and positively regulates the apoptotic pathway, similar to Caenorhabditis elegans. Altogether, this study may open the door for understanding the function of BCL7 family in cell differentiation and malignancies.

Control of stem cell self-renewal and differentiation by the heterochronic genes and the cellular asymmetry machinery in Caenorhabditis elegans

Transitions between asymmetric (self-renewing) and symmetric (proliferative) cell divisions are robustly regulated in the context of normal development and tissue homeostasis. To genetically assess the regulation of these transitions, we used the postembryonic epithelial stem (seam) cell lineages of Caenorhabditis elegans. In these lineages, the timing of these transitions is regulated by the evolutionarily conserved heterochronic pathway, whereas cell division asymmetry is conferred by a pathway consisting of Wnt (Wingless) pathway components, including posterior pharynx defect (POP-1)/TCF, APC related/adenomatosis polyposis coli (APR-1)/APC, and LIT-1/NLK (loss of intestine/Nemo-like kinase). Here we explore the genetic regulatory mechanisms underlying stage-specific transitions between self-renewing and proliferative behavior in the seam cell lineages. We show that mutations of genes in the heterochronic developmental timing pathway, including lin-14 (lineage defect), lin-28, lin-46, and the lin-4 and let-7 (lethal defects)-family microRNAs, affect the activity of LIT-1/POP-1 cellular asymmetry machinery and APR-1 polarity during larval development. Surprisingly, heterochronic mutations that enhance LIT-1 activity in seam cells can simultaneously also enhance the opposing, POP-1 activity, suggesting a role in modulating the potency of the cellular polarizing activity of the LIT-1/POP-1 system as development proceeds. These findings illuminate how the evolutionarily conserved cellular asymmetry machinery can be coupled to microRNA-regulated developmental pathways for robust regulation of stem cell maintenance and proliferation during the course of development. Such genetic interactions between developmental timing regulators and cell polarity regulators could underlie transitions between asymmetric and symmetric stem cell fates in other systems and could be deregulated in the context of developmental disorders and cancer.

The C. elegans embryonic fate specification factor EGL-18 (GATA) is reutilized downstream of Wnt signaling to maintain a population of larval progenitor cells

In metazoans, stem cells in developing and adult tissues can divide asymmetrically to give rise to a daughter that differentiates and a daughter that retains the progenitor fate. Although the short-lived nematode C. elegans does not possess adult somatic stem cells, the lateral hypodermal seam cells behave in a similar manner: they divide once per larval stage to generate an anterior daughter that adopts a non-dividing differentiated fate and a posterior daughter that retains the seam fate and the ability to divide further. Wnt signaling pathway is known to regulate the asymmetry of these divisions and maintain the progenitor cell fate in one daughter, but how activation of the Wnt pathway accomplished this was unknown. We describe here our recent work that identified the GATA transcription factor EGL-18 as a downstream target of Wnt signaling necessary for maintenance of a progenitor population of larval seam cells. EGL-18 was previously shown to act in the initial specification of the seam cells in the embryo. Thus the acquisition of a Wnt-responsive cis-regulatory module allows an embryonic fate specification factor to be reutilized later in life downstream of a different regulator (Wnt signaling) to maintain a progenitor cell population. These results support the use of seam cell development in C. elegans as a simple model system for studying stem and progenitor cell biology.

PLR-1, a putative E3 ubiquitin ligase, controls cell polarity and axonal extensions in C. elegans

During embryonic development neurons differentiate and extend axons and dendrites that have to reach their appropriate targets. In Caenorhabditis elegans the AVG neuron is the first neuron to extend an axon during the establishment of the ventral nerve cord, the major longitudinal axon tract in the animal. In genetic screens we isolated alleles of plr-1, which caused polarity reversals of the AVG neuron as well as outgrowth and navigation defects of the AVG axon. In addition plr-1 mutants show outgrowth defects in several other classes of neurons as well as the posterior excretory canals. plr-1 is predicted to encode a transmembrane E3 ubiquitin ligase and is widely expressed in the animal including the AVG neuron and the excretory cell. plr-1 has recently been shown to negatively regulate Wnt signalling by removing Wnt receptors from the cell surface. We observed that mutations in a gene reducing Wnt signalling as well as mutations in unc-53/NAV2 and unc-73/Trio suppress the AVG polarity defects in plr-1 mutants, but not the defects seen in other cells. This places plr-1 in a Wnt regulation pathway, but also suggests that plr-1 has Wnt independent functions and interacts with unc-53 and unc-73 to control cell polarity.

CACN-1/Cactin plays a role in Wnt signaling in C. elegans

Wnt signaling is tightly regulated during animal development and controls cell proliferation and differentiation. In C. elegans, activation of Wnt signaling alters the activity of the TCF/LEF transcription factor, POP-1, through activation of the Wnt/β-catenin or Wnt/β-catenin asymmetry pathways. In this study, we have identified CACN-1 as a potential regulator of POP-1 in C. elegans larval development. CACN-1/Cactin is a well-conserved protein of unknown molecular function previously implicated in the regulation of several developmental signaling pathways. Here we have used activation of POPTOP, a POP-1-responsive reporter construct, as a proxy for Wnt signaling. POPTOP requires POP-1 and SYS-1/β-catenin for activation in L4 uterine cells. RNAi depletion experiments show that CACN-1 is needed to prevent excessive activation of POPTOP and for proper levels and/or localization of POP-1. Surprisingly, high POPTOP expression correlates with increased levels of POP-1 in uterine nuclei, suggesting POPTOP may not mirror endogenous gene expression in all respects. Genetic interaction studies suggest that CACN-1 may act partially through LIT-1/NLK to alter POP-1 localization and POPTOP activation. Additionally, CACN-1 is required for proper proliferation of larval seam cells. Depletion of CACN-1 results in a loss of POP-1 asymmetry and reduction of terminal seam cell number, suggesting an adoption of the anterior, differentiated fate by the posterior daughter cells. These findings suggest CACN-1/Cactin modulates Wnt signaling during larval development.

The tumor suppressor APC differentially regulates multiple β-catenins through the function of axin and CKIα during C. elegans asymmetric stem cell divisions

The APC tumor suppressor regulates diverse stem cell processes including gene regulation through Wnt-β-catenin signaling and chromosome stability through microtubule interactions, but how the disparate functions of APC are controlled is not well understood. Acting as part of a Wnt-β-catenin pathway that controls asymmetric cell division, Caenorhabditis elegans APC, APR-1, promotes asymmetric nuclear export of the β-catenin WRM-1 by asymmetrically stabilizing microtubules. Wnt function also depends on a second β-catenin, SYS-1, which binds to the C. elegans TCF POP-1 to activate gene expression. Here, we show that APR-1 regulates SYS-1 levels in asymmetric stem cell division, in addition to its known role in lowering nuclear levels of WRM-1. We demonstrate that SYS-1 is also negatively regulated by the C. elegans homolog of casein kinase 1α (CKIα), KIN-19. We show that KIN-19 restricts APR-1 localization, thereby regulating nuclear WRM-1. Finally, the polarity of APR-1 cortical localization is controlled by PRY-1 (C. elegans Axin), such that PRY-1 controls the polarity of both SYS-1 and WRM-1 asymmetries. We propose a model whereby Wnt signaling, through CKIα, regulates the function of two distinct pools of APC - one APC pool negatively regulates SYS-1, whereas the second pool stabilizes microtubules and promotes WRM-1 nuclear export.

Use of an activated beta-catenin to identify Wnt pathway target genes in caenorhabditis elegans, including a subset of collagen genes expressed in late larval development

The Wnt signaling pathway plays a fundamental role during metazoan development, where it regulates diverse processes, including cell fate specification, cell migration, and stem cell renewal. Activation of the beta-catenin-dependent/canonical Wnt pathway up-regulates expression of Wnt target genes to mediate a cellular response. In the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans, a canonical Wnt signaling pathway regulates several processes during larval development; however, few target genes of this pathway have been identified. To address this deficit, we used a novel approach of conditionally activated Wnt signaling during a defined stage of larval life by overexpressing an activated beta-catenin protein, then used microarray analysis to identify genes showing altered expression compared with control animals. We identified 166 differentially expressed genes, of which 104 were up-regulated. A subset of the up-regulated genes was shown to have altered expression in mutants with decreased or increased Wnt signaling; we consider these genes to be bona fide C. elegans Wnt pathway targets. Among these was a group of six genes, including the cuticular collagen genes, bli-1 col-38, col-49, and col-71. These genes show a peak of expression in the mid L4 stage during normal development, suggesting a role in adult cuticle formation. Consistent with this finding, reduction of function for several of the genes causes phenotypes suggestive of defects in cuticle function or integrity. Therefore, this work has identified a large number of putative Wnt pathway target genes during larval life, including a small subset of Wnt-regulated collagen genes that may function in synthesis of the adult cuticle.

CEH-20/Pbx and UNC-62/Meis function upstream of rnt-1/Runx to regulate asymmetric divisions of the C. elegans stem-like seam cells

Caenorhabditis elegans seam cells divide in the stem-like mode throughout larval development, with the ability to both self-renew and produce daughters that differentiate. Seam cells typically divide asymmetrically, giving rise to an anterior daughter that fuses with the hypodermis and a posterior daughter that proliferates further. Previously we have identified rnt-1 (a homologue of the mammalian cancer-associated stem cell regulator Runx) as being an important regulator of seam development, acting to promote proliferation; rnt-1 mutants have fewer seam cells whereas overexpressing rnt-1 causes seam cell hyperplasia. We isolated the interacting CEH-20/Pbx and UNC-62/Meis TALE-class transcription factors during a genome-wide RNAi screen for novel regulators of seam cell number. Animals lacking wild type CEH-20 or UNC-62 display seam cell hyperplasia, largely restricted to the anterior of the worm, whereas double mutants have many additional seam cells along the length of the animal. The cellular basis of the hyperplasia involves the symmetrisation of normally asymmetric seam cell divisions towards the proliferative stem-like fate. The hyperplasia is completely suppressed in rnt-1 mutants, and rnt-1 is upregulated in ceh-20 and unc-62 mutants, suggesting that CEH-20 and UNC-62 function upstream of rnt-1 to limit proliferative potential to the appropriate daughter cell. In further support of this we find that CEH-20 is asymmetrically localised in seam daughters following an asymmetric division, being predominantly restricted to anterior nuclei whose fate is to differentiate. Thus, ceh-20 and unc-62 encode crucial regulators of seam cell division asymmetry, acting via rnt-1 to regulate the balance between proliferation and differentiation.

C. elegans GATA factors EGL-18 and ELT-6 function downstream of Wnt signaling to maintain the progenitor fate during larval asymmetric divisions of the seam cells

The C. elegans seam cells are lateral epithelial cells arrayed in a single line from anterior to posterior that divide in an asymmetric, stem cell-like manner during larval development. These asymmetric divisions are regulated by Wnt signaling; in most divisions, the posterior daughter in which the Wnt pathway is activated maintains the progenitor seam fate, while the anterior daughter in which the Wnt pathway is not activated adopts a differentiated hypodermal fate. Using mRNA tagging and microarray analysis, we identified the functionally redundant GATA factor genes egl-18 and elt-6 as Wnt pathway targets in the larval seam cells. EGL-18 and ELT-6 have previously been shown to be required for initial seam cell specification in the embryo. We show that in larval seam cell asymmetric divisions, EGL-18 is expressed strongly in the posterior seam-fated daughter. egl-18 and elt-6 are necessary for larval seam cell specification, and for hypodermal to seam cell fate transformations induced by ectopic Wnt pathway overactivation. The TCF homolog POP-1 binds a site in the egl-18 promoter in vitro, and this site is necessary for robust seam cell expression in vivo. Finally, larval overexpression of EGL-18 is sufficient to drive expression of a seam marker in other hypodermal cells in wild-type animals, and in anterior hypodermal-fated daughters in a Wnt pathway-sensitized background. These data suggest that two GATA factors that are required for seam cell specification in the embryo independently of Wnt signaling are reused downstream of Wnt signaling to maintain the progenitor fate during stem cell-like divisions in larval development.

Deconvolving the roles of Wnt ligands and receptors in sensing and amplification

Establishment of cell polarity is crucial for many biological processes including cell migration and asymmetric cell division. The establishment of cell polarity consists of two sequential processes: an external gradient is first sensed and then the resulting signal is amplified and maintained by intracellular signaling networks usually using positive feedback regulation. Generally, these two processes are intertwined and it is challenging to determine which proteins contribute to the sensing or amplification process, particularly in multicellular organisms. Here, we integrated phenomenological modeling with quantitative single-cell measurements to separate the sensing and amplification components of Wnt ligands and receptors during establishment of polarity of the Caenorhabditis elegans P cells. By systematically exploring how P-cell polarity is altered in Wnt ligand and receptor mutants, we inferred that ligands predominantly affect the sensing process, whereas receptors are needed for both sensing and amplification. This integrated approach is generally applicable to other systems and will facilitate decoupling of the different layers of signal sensing and amplification.

Germline stem cells and their regulation in the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans

C. elegans germline stem cells exist within a stem cell pool that is maintained by a single-celled mesenchymal niche and Notch signaling. Downstream of Notch signaling, a regulatory network governs stem cells and differentiation. Central to that network is the FBF RNA-binding protein, a member of the widely conserved PUF family that functions by either of two broadly conserved mechanisms to repress its target mRNAs. Without FBF, germline stem cells do not proliferate and they do not maintain their naïve, undifferentiated state. Therefore, FBF is a pivotal regulator of germline self-renewal. Validated FBF targets include several key differentiation regulators as well as a major cell cycle regulator. A genomic analysis identifies many other developmental and cell cycle regulators as likely FBF targets and suggests that FBF is a broad-spectrum regulator of the genome with >1,000 targets. A comparison of the FBF target list with similar lists for human PUF proteins, PUM1 and PUM2, reveals ∼200 shared targets. The FBF hub works within a network controlling self-renewal vs. differentiation. This network consists of classical developmental cell fate regulators and classical cell cycle regulators. Recent results have begun to integrate developmental and cell cycle regulation within the network. The molecular dynamics of the network remain a challenge for the future, but models are proposed. We suggest that molecular controls of C. elegans germline stem cells provide an important model for controls of stem cells more broadly.

β-catenin-dependent Wnt signaling in C. elegans: teaching an old dog a new trick

Wnt signaling is an evolutionarily ancient pathway used to regulate many events during metazoan development. Genetic results from Caenorhabditis elegans more than a dozen years ago suggested that Wnt signaling in this nematode worm might be different than in vertebrates and Drosophila: the worm had a small number of Wnts, too many β-catenins, and some Wnt pathway components functioned in an opposite manner than in other species. Work over the ensuing years has clarified that C. elegans does possess a canonical Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway similar to that in other metazoans, but that the majority of Wnt signaling in this species may proceed via a variant Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway that uses some new components (mitogen-activated protein kinase signaling enzymes), and in which some conserved pathway components (β-catenin, T-cell factor [TCF]) are used in new and interesting ways. This review summarizes our current understanding of the canonical and novel TCF/β-catenin-dependent signaling pathways in C. elegans.

The Caenorhabditis elegans epidermis as a model skin. II: differentiation and physiological roles

The Caenorhabditis elegans epidermis forms one of the principal barrier epithelia of the animal. Differentiation of the epidermis begins in mid embryogenesis and involves apical-basal polarization of the cytoskeletal and secretory systems as well as cellular junction formation. Secretion of the external cuticle layers is one of the major developmental and physiological specializations of the epidermal epithelium. The four post-embryonic larval stages are separated by periodic moults, in which the epidermis generates a new cuticle with stage-specific characteristics. The differentiated epidermis also plays key roles in endocrine signaling, fat storage, and ionic homeostasis. The epidermis is intimately associated with the development and function of the nervous system, and may have glial-like roles in modulating neuronal function. The epidermis provides passive and active defenses against skin-penetrating pathogens and can repair small wounds. Finally, age-dependent deterioration of the epidermis is a prominent feature of aging and may affect organismal aging and lifespan.

The Caenorhabditis elegans epidermis as a model skin. I: development, patterning, and growth

The skin of the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans is composed of a simple epidermal epithelium and overlying cuticle. The skin encloses the animal and plays central roles in body morphology and physiology; its simplicity and accessibility make it a tractable genetic model for several aspects of skin biology. Epidermal precursors are specified by a hierarchy of transcriptional regulators. Epidermal cells form on the dorsal surface of the embryo and differentiate to form the epidermal primordium, which then spreads out in a process of epiboly to enclose internal tissues. Subsequent elongation of the embryo into a vermiform larva is driven by cell shape changes and cell fusions in the epidermis. Most epidermal cells fuse in mid-embryogenesis to form a small number of multinucleate syncytia. During mid-embryogenesis the epidermis also becomes intimately associated with underlying muscles, performing a tendon-like role in transmitting muscle force. Post-embryonic development of the epidermis involves growth by addition of new cells to the syncytia from stem cell-like epidermal seam cells and by an increase in cell size driven by endoreplication of the chromosomes in epidermal nuclei.

The Wnt/beta-catenin asymmetry pathway patterns the atonal ortholog lin-32 to diversify cell fate in a Caenorhabditis elegans sensory lineage

Each sensory ray of the Caenorhabditis elegans male tail comprises three distinct neuroglial cell types. These three cells descend from a single progenitor, the ray precursor cell, through several rounds of asymmetric division called the ray sublineage. Ray development requires the conserved atonal-family bHLH gene lin-32, which specifies the ray neuroblast and promotes the differentiation of its progeny. However, the mechanisms that allocate specific cell fates among these progeny are unknown. Here we show that the distribution of LIN-32 during the ray sublineage is markedly asymmetric, localizing to anterior daughter cells in two successive cell divisions. The anterior-posterior patterning of LIN-32 expression and of differentiated ray neuroglial fates is brought about by the Wnt/β-catenin asymmetry pathway, including the Wnt ligand LIN-44, its receptor LIN-17, and downstream components LIT-1 (NLK), SYS-1 (β-catenin), and POP-1 (TCF). LIN-32 asymmetry itself has an important role in patterning ray cell fates, because the failure to silence lin-32 expression in posterior cells disrupts development of this branch of the ray sublineage. Together, our results illustrate a mechanism whereby the regulated function of a proneural-class gene in a single neural lineage can both specify a neural precursor and actively pattern the fates of its progeny. Moreover, they reveal a central role for the Wnt/β-catenin asymmetry pathway in patterning neural and glial fates in a simple sensory lineage.

Cell shape and Wnt signaling redundantly control the division axis of C. elegans epithelial stem cells

Tissue-specific stem cells combine proliferative and asymmetric divisions to balance self-renewal with differentiation. Tight regulation of the orientation and plane of cell division is crucial in this process. Here, we study the reproducible pattern of anterior-posterior-oriented stem cell-like divisions in the Caenorhabditis elegans seam epithelium. In a genetic screen, we identified an alg-1 Argonaute mutant with additional and abnormally oriented seam cell divisions. ALG-1 is the main subunit of the microRNA-induced silencing complex (miRISC) and was previously shown to regulate the timing of postembryonic development. Time-lapse fluorescence microscopy of developing larvae revealed that reduced alg-1 function successively interferes with Wnt signaling, cell adhesion, cell shape and the orientation and timing of seam cell division. We found that Wnt inactivation, through mig-14 Wntless mutation, disrupts tissue polarity but not anterior-posterior division. However, combined Wnt inhibition and cell shape alteration resulted in disordered orientation of seam cell division, similar to the alg-1 mutant. Our findings reveal additional alg-1-regulated processes, uncover a previously unknown function of Wnt ligands in seam tissue polarity, and show that Wnt signaling and geometric cues redundantly control the seam cell division axis.

Multiple Wnts redundantly control polarity orientation in Caenorhabditis elegans epithelial stem cells

During development, cell polarization is often coordinated to harmonize tissue patterning and morphogenesis. However, how extrinsic signals synchronize cell polarization is not understood. In Caenorhabditis elegans, most mitotic cells are polarized along the anterior-posterior axis and divide asymmetrically. Although this process is regulated by a Wnt-signaling pathway, Wnts functioning in cell polarity have been demonstrated in only a few cells. We analyzed how Wnts control cell polarity, using compound Wnt mutants, including animals with mutations in all five Wnt genes. We found that somatic gonadal precursor cells (SGPs) are properly polarized and oriented in quintuple Wnt mutants, suggesting Wnts are dispensable for the SGPs' polarity, which instead requires signals from the germ cells. Thus, signals from the germ cells organize the C. elegans somatic gonad. In contrast, in compound but not single Wnt mutants, most of the six seam cells, V1–V6 (which are epithelial stem cells), retain their polarization, but their polar orientation becomes random, indicating that it is redundantly regulated by multiple Wnt genes. In contrast, in animals in which the functions of three Wnt receptors (LIN-17, MOM-5, and CAM-1) are disrupted—the stem cells are not polarized and divide symmetrically—suggesting that the Wnt receptors are essential for generating polarity and that they function even in the absence of Wnts. All the seam cells except V5 were polarized properly by a single Wnt gene expressed at the cell's anterior or posterior. The ectopic expression of posteriorly expressed Wnts in an anterior region and vice versa rescued polarity defects in compound Wnt mutants, raising two possibilities: one, Wnts permissively control the orientation of polarity; or two, Wnt functions are instructive, but which orientation they specify is determined by the cells that express them. Our results provide a paradigm for understanding how cell polarity is coordinated by extrinsic signals.

Proper functions and development of organs often require the synchronized polarization of entire cell groups. How cells coordinate their polarity is poorly understood. One plausible model is that individual cells recognize extrinsic signal gradients that orient their polarity, although this has not been shown in any organism. In particular, although Wnt signaling is important for cell polarization, and Wnt signal gradients are important for the coordinated specification of cell fates, the Wnts' involvement in orienting cell polarity is unclear. In the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans, most asymmetrically dividing mitotic cells are polarized in the same anterior-posterior orientation. Here we show that multiple Wnt proteins redundantly control the proper orientation of cell polarity, but not for polarization per se, in a group of epithelial stem cells. In contrast, Wnt receptors are indispensable for cells to adopt a polarized phenotype. Most stem cells are properly oriented by Wnt genes that are expressed either at their anterior or posterior side. Surprisingly, Wnt signals can properly orient stem cell polarity, even when their source is changed from anterior to posterior or vice versa. Our results suggest the presence of novel mechanisms by which Wnt genes orient cell polarity.

The Caenorhabditis elegans GATA factor ELT-1 works through the cell proliferation regulator BRO-1 and the Fusogen EFF-1 to maintain the seam stem-like fate

Seam cells in Caenorhabditis elegans provide a paradigm for the stem cell mode of division, with the ability to both self-renew and produce daughters that differentiate. The transcription factor RNT-1 and its DNA binding partner BRO-1 (homologues of the mammalian cancer-associated stem cell regulators RUNX and CBFβ, respectively) are known rate-limiting regulators of seam cell proliferation. Here, we show, using a combination of comparative genomics and DNA binding assays, that bro-1 expression is directly regulated by the GATA factor ELT-1. elt-1(RNAi) animals display similar seam cell lineage defects to bro-1 mutants, but have an additional phenotype in which seam cells lose their stem cell-like properties and differentiate inappropriately by fusing with the hyp7 epidermal syncytium. This phenotype is dependent on the fusogen EFF-1, which we show is repressed by ELT-1 in seam cells. Overall, our data suggest that ELT-1 has dual roles in the stem-like seam cells, acting both to promote proliferation and prevent differentiation.

Stem cells can both produce differentiated cells and self-renew, producing more stem cells. Choosing between these opposing options is critical for development. Here, we have investigated the molecular genetics underlying this choice in the nematode worm, C. elegans, using the seam cells as a model of stem cell divisions. The transcription factor RNT-1 works together with BRO-1 (homologues of mammalian RUNX and CBFβ genes, respectively) to regulate proliferation of the seam cells, reflecting the roles of RUNX/CBFβ in mammalian stem cells. To better understand how bro-1 is regulated, we looked for conserved regions of non-coding DNA, likely to be of functional importance. We identified a 122 bp conserved non-coding element that is necessary and sufficient for bro-1 expression. Subsequent analysis suggested that the GATA transcription factor ELT-1 directly regulates bro-1. We have found that ELT-1 actually performs two distinct roles, promoting proliferation of seam cells while also preventing them from inappropriately fusing with surrounding tissue and losing their stem-like properties. Furthermore, we propose a link between the retention of stem cell properties and the maintenance of seam cells in a distinct compartment, in which they are protected from differentiation.