A Limited Number of Caenorhabditis elegans Genes Are Readily Mutable to Dominant, Temperature-Sensitive Maternal-Effect Embryonic Lethality

• Published in: Genetics (Austin) Vol. 147; no. 4; pp. 1665 - 1674
• Main Authors: Mitenko, N. L, Eisner, J. R, Swiston, J. R, Mains, P. E
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Genetics Soc America 01.12.1997; Genetics Society of America
• Subjects: Alleles; Animals; Caenorhabditis elegans - embryology; Caenorhabditis elegans - genetics; Genes; Genes, Dominant; Genes, Helminth; Genes, Lethal; Genetics; Investigations; Mutation; Phenotype; Temperature; Worms
• ISSN: 0016-6731; 1943-2631; 1943-2631
• DOI: 10.1093/genetics/147.4.1665

Dominant gain-of-function mutations can give unique insights into the study of gene function. In addition, gain-of-function mutations, unlike loss-of-function alleles, are not biased against the identification of genetically redundant loci. To identify novel genetic functions active during Caenorhabditis elegans embryogenesis, we have collected a set of dominant temperature-sensitive maternal-effect embryonic lethal mutations. In a previous screen, we isolated eight such mutations, distributed among six genes. In the present study, we describe eight new dominant mutations that identify only three additional genes, yielding a total of 16 dominant mutations found in nine genes. Therefore, it appears that a limited number of C. elegans genes mutate to this phenotype at appreciable frequencies. Five of the genes that we identified by dominant mutations have loss-of-function alleles. Two of these genes may lack loss-of-function phenotypes, indicating that they are nonessential and so may represent redundant loci. Loss-of-function mutations of three other genes are associated with recessive lethality, indicating nonredundancy.