During the past several years, we have isolated, and partly characterized, an assortment of curious, and largely unrelated, mutants that seemed too pretty to throw away. All of these were obtained by EMS mutagenesis and most of them where first identified by Nomarski microscopy. Since these mutants may someday prove useful, we have compiled a brief description of their phenotypes. [See Figure 1] [See Figure 2]

Stretton AOW et al. (1977) Worm Breeder's Gazette "neuroanatomy of Ascaris."

Donmoyer JE, Moses JER, Stretton AOW

[

Worm Breeder's Gazette,

1977]

The motor nervous system of Ascaris consists of five sets of segmented neurons each containing eleven cells that make synapses onto muscle, together with six ventral interneurons that make synapses onto some of the motorneurons. The neurons can be divided into seven classes (see figure) that appear to be structurally identical to the seven classes in C. elegans, with the following equivalences . [See Figure 1] The dorsal n.m.j. cell types C, D and E receive interneuron input, but the A cell receives synapses only from ventral motorneurons. The ventral F and G cells receive input from interneurons; the B cells receive synapses only from dorsal motorneurons. All these output cells make synapses with muscle only in one nerve cord. Each segment has one copy of cell types A, D and E, and two copies of types B, C, F and G. Anatomical similarities (relative positions in nerve cords; details of the patterns of neuromuscular connectivity) are used to assign functional equivalences in the dorsal and ventral cords. [See Figure 2] The function of types of A, B, C, D and E neurons has been determined physiologically (see Walrond and Kass). The motorneuron synapses onto the inhibitory neurons provide pathways for reciprocal inhibition, between both cords, that is generated peripherally rather than centrally. [See Figure 3]

Otsuka AJ (1990) Worm Breeder's Gazette "ALTERATIONS IN UNC-44 ALLELES"

Otsuka AJ

[

Worm Breeder's Gazette,

1990]

Preliminary analysis of six spontaneous unc-44 alleles indicates that alterations occur over a fairly large region in the genomic DNA. Southern analysis of two alleles from E. Hedgecock (rh1013 and rf1042) and four alleles (mn259, mn339, q331, and st200) from R. Herman and other labs (kindly provided by C. Kari, R. Herman, W. Li, and J. Shaw) indicated that restriction fragment differences from wild type are associated with all six alleles (see Franco et al., C. elegans Meeting abstracts, 1989). The construction of preliminary restriction maps of unc-44 cosmid (B0350 and C44A, kindly provided by A. Coulson and J. Sulston) and phage (DD#LRF1 and DD#LRF6) clones allows the approximate positioning of mutant changes. The absolute orientations of the cosmid and phage clones are based on positioning of these clones on the cosmid map. The overlapping of the cosmid and phage clones has not yet been demonstrated. Unfortunately, the cosmid isolate that could quickly clarify the situation (C02C3) deleted during growth. [See Figure 1]

Manser J (1989) Worm Breeder's Gazette "cloning mig-10."

Manser J

[

Worm Breeder's Gazette,

1989]

Correlation of the genetic and physical maps has been exploited to clone the mig-10 III gene (see CSH '89 Abstracts and previous WBG's). Genetic mapping placed mig-10(ct41) between unc-86 and unc-116, corresponding to a relatively small interval of the physical map (see Figure). A set of 5 cosmids from this interval was chosen and used in co-transformation rescue experiments with an unc-36 41) strain. One cosmid, F10E9, was found to rescue mutant phenotypes, placing mig-10 on the physical map. Specifically, 4 of 9 transgenic lines exhibiting unc-36 rescue also displayed mig-10 rescue, and in two such lines mig-10 rescue was transmitted to subsequent generations. To localize mig-10 further, several cosmids that overlap F10E9 are being tested for rescue, as are lambda subclones of F10E9. [See Figure 1]

Otsuka AJ et al. (1991) Worm Breeder's Gazette "Comparison of the unc-104 Protein 'Motor' Domain with Members of the Kinesin Family of Proteins"

Tang LZ, Whiteaker K, Boontrakulpoontatwee P, Otsuka AJ, Zhang Y

[

Worm Breeder's Gazette,

1991]

The unc-104 gene is capable of encoding a kinesin-related protein ( Otsuka et al., Neuron, in press). Comparison of the presumed unc-104 'motor' domain to the ATPase and microtubule-binding region of members of the kinesin family demonstrates the greatest sequence identity in the putative ATP-binding domain [GYN-TIFAYGQTGSGKTYTM-G] and in conserved elements of unknown function, some of which may be involved in microtubule-binding [GIIPR, VK-S(Y/F)-E(I/L)YNE, DLL, R-VA-T--N-- SSRSH-VF-I, SGKL-LVDLAGSE, GAEG-R--E--NINKSL--LG-VI-AL, HIPYR(D/E)SKLT- LLQ-SLGG, N--ET-STL-(F/Y)A-RAK--(R/K)]. In the figure below, residues that are identical in 5 or more sequences are listed below the compilation and asterisks mark residues that are identical in all sequences. [See Figure 1]

Cassada RC et al. (1980) Worm Breeder's Gazette "initial characterization of ts embryonic defective (emb) mutants (Goettingen set)."

Culotti MR, Cassada RC, Von Ehrenstein G, Isnenghi E

[

Worm Breeder's Gazette,

1980]

[See Figure 1] Already published allelism: Wood et al., 1980: b117=b189; b246 = let- 2.Miwa et al., 1980: hc57 = hc62; hc61 = hc67. Our global complementation results: g1 = g4; g16 = g65 = hc61 = hc67; g36 = hc65; g23 = g34 = hc70 = b117 = b189; g37 = b246 = let-2; b84 = hc66; g14 = g43; g57 = b1O. From frequency of multiple alleles we estimate 200-400 genes essential for embryogenesis. Mapping is in progress. We are also doing tsp's, R + H Tests, and cellular defects ( Isnenghi, Cassada, Radnia, Schierenberg, K. Smith, v. Ehrenstein).

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