In
dre-1 partial loss-of-function mutants (e.g., dre- 1
(dh99)) seam cells undergo precocious terminal differentiation in L3, a full stage ahead of schedule. Using the adherens junction marker
ajm-1:gfp to mark seam cell boundaries, we observed that
blmp-1 knockdown by RNAi reduced
dre-1(
dh99) precocious seam cell fusion from 90% to 15% of the animals. Similarly only 7.5% of
dre-1;
blmp-1(
tm548) double mutant animals showed seam cell fusion in L3.