Figure 3. The Expression Analysis of
tax-6. (A)
tax-6 expression was detected in many neurons and muscles. Introduction of four GFP fusion constructs into wild-type or
tax-6 animals revealed three distinct regions that drive
tax-6 expressions in different cell types. Since particular attention was made to identify amphid sensory organ-related sensory neurons and interneurons expressing
tax-6, the cells listed here do not represent all cells with the GFP fluorescence.(B) Summary of amphid-associated neurons expressing
tax-6 and their functions.(C) The thermosensory circuit (Mori and Ohshima, 1995). Temperature inputs are sensed by the AFD and unidentified sensory neuron(s), as indicated by the letter X. Thermal information is assumed to be integrated by cross-talk between AIY and AIZ interneurons. The AFD-AIY arm of the circuit mediates movement to higher temperatures (as indicated by the letter T), while the AIZ arm mediates movement to lower temperatures (as indicated by the letter C).(D-K) GFP expression of pAK43
tax-6::GFP (D-I) and pAK13
tax-6::GFP (J and K) (see Figure 2A). GFP fluorescence was detected in many sensory neurons and interneurons near the nerve ring in the head (D-F), body wall muscle (G), vulval muscle, as indicated by white arrow (H), and pharyngeal muscle, as indicated by white arrow (I). TAX-6::GFP seems to be localized near the dense body or M line in body wall muscles, although TAX-6::GFP expression was clearly detected in the whole body wall muscle cell (G). TAX-6::GFP was observed in the entire cytoplasm of head sensory neurons including the sensory cilia situated at tip of the head (J and K). Shown here are left-lateral views of adult animals (G-K), L2 larvae (D and E), and an L1 larva (F). Anterior is to the left, and dorsal is up (D-G and I-K). A ventral view is shown in (H), where the fluorescence was undetectable in one of the muscle cells (indicated by hatched arrow) probably due to mosaicism. Nomarski (gray) and GFP (orange) views were merged in (K). Scale bar: 10 μm.