Bowerman BA et al. (1994) Worm Breeder's Gazette "The Maternal Gene skn-4 and the Specification of Ventral Blastomere Fates in the Early C. elegans Embryo"

Bowerman BA, Shelton CA, Thorpe CJ, Martin PR

[Worm Breeder's Gazette, 1994]

THE MATERNAL GENE SKN-4 AND THE SPECIFICATION OF VENTRAL BLASTOMERE FATES IN THE EARLY C. ELEGANS EMBRYO Bruce Bowerman, Paula R. Martin, Christopher J. Thorpe, and Christopher A. Shelton. The Institute of Molecular Biology, University of Oregon, Eugene, OR 97403.

Zimmer M (2009) Chem Soc Rev "GFP: from jellyfish to the Nobel prize and beyond."

Zimmer M

[Chem Soc Rev, 2009]

On December 10, 2008 Osamu Shimomura, Martin Chalfie and Roger Tsien were awarded the Nobel Prize in Chemistry for "the discovery and development of the green fluorescent protein, GFP". The path taken by this jellyfish protein to become one of the most useful tools in modern science and medicine is described. Osamu Shimomura painstakingly isolated GFP from hundreds of thousands of jellyfish, characterized the chromophore and elucidated the mechanism of Aequorean bioluminescence. Martin Chalfie expressed the protein in E. coli and C. elegans, and Roger Tsien developed a palette of fluorescent proteins that could be used in a myriad of applications.

Hall DH et al. (1994) Worm Breeder's Gazette "Cytology of Degenerin-Induced Cell Death in the PVM Neuron"

Driscoll MA, Chalfie M, Gu GQ, Hall DH, Gong L

[Worm Breeder's Gazette, 1994]

Cytology of degenerin-induced cell death in the PVM neuron David H. Hall, Guoqiang Gu+, Lei Gong#, Monica Driscoll#, and Martin Chalfie+, * Dept. Neuroscience, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, N.Y. 10461 + Dept. Biological Sciences, Columbia University, New York, N.Y. 10027 # Dept. Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, Rutgers University, Piscataway, N.J. 08855

Ray C et al. (1990) Worm Breeder's Gazette "CORRECTION Isolation of a C. elegans Cysteine Protease Gene"

McKerrow JH, Ray C

[Worm Breeder's Gazette, 1990]

In the previous issue of the WBG (Vol. 11, #3, page 20) we reported the isolation of a cysteine protease clone from a mixed-stage C. elegans cDNA library. This library was originally obtained from Chris Martin and not from Cynthia Kenyon as was reported in the article. Our apologies for any misunderstanding caused by this oversight.

Gabaldon, Carolaing et al. (2017) International Worm Meeting "mir-243, mir-51 y mir-52 are required for diapause formation in C. elegans as a transgenerational defense mechanism against bacterial pathogens."

Verdugo, Lidia, Calixto, Andrea, Martin, Alberto.J.M, Caris, Carlos, Gabaldon, Carolaing

[International Worm Meeting, 2017]

C. elegans feeds on a variety of bacteria, both pathogenic and non-pathogenic, and under starvation, high population density, and other stresses enters diapause by forming the dauer larvae. Our previous work showed that C. elegans, also forms dauers as a mechanism of transgenerational defense against the pathogens P. aeruginosa PAO1 and S. Typhimurium MST1. We proposed that in the bacteria-worm communication, bacterial dsRNAs trigger an RNAi-dependent process, generating endo-siRNA accumulation in the germ line subsequently transmitted to the progeny to promote diapause formation in C. elegans. To understand which genes (small RNAs and mRNA) accumulate in response to pathogens, we performed a comparative differential expression analysis of the worm transcriptome under pathogenesis and on non-pathogenic bacteria. We found that mir-243, mir-51 and mir-52 are overexpressed by 6.46, 2.27 and 2.26 fold respectively, in response to P. aeruginosa PAO1. In vivo gfp expression confirms the overexpression of the three miRNAs in worms fed with pathogens compared to non-pathogenic bacteria. Importantly, animals with mutations in mir-243, mir-51 and mir-52 do not form dauers in response to P. aeruginosa PAO1, strongly suggesting a role for these small RNAs in the behavioral response to pathogenesis. To construct the gene networks underlying dauer formation under pathogenesis, we used the miRNA-mRNA interactions predicted by five softwares simultaneously (INTA, RNA duplex, RNAplex, RNAup and PITA), and overlapped them with an additional layer formed by the transcription factors, known to regulate the miRNAs that appeared differentially expressed in our experiments.

Goto S (1999) Journal of Gerontology "Commentary on "Protein carbonyl accumulation in aging Dauer formation-defective (daf) mutants of Caenorhabditis elegans"."

Goto S

[Journal of Gerontology, 1999]

In recent years, oxidative damage to macromolecules has gained popularity as the basis of the molecular mechanism of aging. Martin proposes oxidative damage to macromolecules as one of the major public mechanisms of aging. Interest in modifications of protein by reactive oxygen species in aging was apparently introduced by Stadtman. Although various types of oxidative modifications can occur in proteins, carbonyl residues believed to be generated by metal catalyzed reaction or otherwise introduced by lysine, arginine and/or proline residues in vivo are often used as a marker of direct or

Hampoelz B et al. (2004) Cell "Heterotrimeric G proteins: new tricks for an old dog."

Knoblich JA, Hampoelz B

[Cell, 2004]

Heterotrimeric G proteins are well known for their function in signal transduction downstream of seven transmembrane receptors. More recently, however, genetic analysis in C. elegans and in Drosophila has revealed a second, essential function of these molecules in positioning the mitotic spindle and attaching microtubules to the cell cortex. Five new publications in Cell (Afshar et al., 2004; Du and Macara, 2004 [this issue of Cell]; Hess et al., 2004), Developmental Cell (Martin-McCaffrey et al., 2004), and Current Biology (Couwenbergs et al., 2004) show that this function is conserved in vertebrates and-like the classical pathway- involves cycling of G proteins between GDP and GTP bound conformations.

Tokuoka SM et al. (2008) Mol Biol Cell "The mood stabilizer valproate inhibits both inositol- and diacylglycerol-signaling pathways in Caenorhabditis elegans."

Tokuoka SM, Saiardi A, Nurrish SJ

[Mol Biol Cell, 2008]

Monitoring Editor: Tom U. Martin The anti-epileptic valproate (VPA) is widely used in the treatment of bipolar disorder, although the mechanism of its action in the disorder is unclear. We show here that VPA inhibits both inositol phosphate and diacylglycerol (DAG) signaling in C.elegans. VPA disrupts two behaviors regulated by the inositol 1,4,5-Tris phosphate (IP3): defecation and ovulation. VPA also inhibits two activities regulated by DAG signaling: acetylcholine (ACh) release and egg-laying. The effects of VPA on DAG signaling are relieved by phorbol ester, a DAG analog, suggesting that VPA acts to inhibit DAG production. VPA reduces levels of DAG and IP1, but PIP2 is slightly increased, suggesting that Phospholipase C mediated hydrolysis of PIP2 to form DAG and IP3 is defective in the presence of VPA.

Johnson TE (1988) Journal of Gerontology "Genetic specification of life span: Processes, problems and potentials."

Johnson TE

[Journal of Gerontology, 1988]

Genetic approaches have been used to gain insights into many complex biological phenomena, but until recently most attempts to use genetic approaches to understand aging or senescence processes in metazoans have met with little success. The first review in this series (Martin and Tucker, 1988) surveyed model organisms used in the genetic analysis of aging; here I will review the analysis of life span and of the aging process by means of genetics. Problems inherent in the genetic analysis of aging will be reviewed first. Successful applications of genetics to the phenomena of aging will next be highlighted. Finally, I will present examples of ways in which both molecular and classical genetic approaches can be fruitfully and realistically applied to the study of the aging processes. Where applicable, misinterpretations and possible future directions will be noted.

Gower NJ et al. (2005) Mol Biol Cell "Inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate signaling regulates mating behavior in Caenorhabditis elegans males."

Gower NJ, Walker DS, Baylis HA

[Mol Biol Cell, 2005]

Monitoring Editor: Martin Chalfie Complex behavior requires the coordinated action of the nervous system and nonneuronal targets. Male mating in Caenorhabditis elegans consists of a series of defined behavioral steps that lead to the physiological outcomes required for successful impregnation. We demonstrate that signaling mediated by inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate (IP3) is required at several points during mating. Disruption of IP3 receptor (itr-1) function results in dramatic loss of male fertility, due to defects in turning behavior (during vulva location), spicule insertion and sperm transfer. To elucidate the signaling pathways responsible, we knocked down the six C. elegans genes encoding phospholipase C (PLC) family members. egl-8, which encodes PLC-beta, functions in spicule insertion and sperm transfer. itr-1 and egl-8 are widely expressed in the male reproductive system. An itr-1 gain-of-function mutation rescues infertility caused by egl-8 RNA interference, indicating that egl-8 and itr-1 function together as central components of the signaling events controlling sperm transfer.