Extracellular proteins OSM-7 and OSM-8 are required for stress response gene regulation at all post-embryonic stages

• Published in: microPublication biology Vol. 2022
• Main Authors: Rodriguez Mendoza, Victoria, Chandler, Luke, Liu, Zhexin, Buddendorff, Lauren, Al-Rajhi, Amal, Choi, Thine, Gibb, Gabrielle, Harvey, Justin, Mihalik, Alva, Moravec, Sophie, Pilcher, Wendy, Raju, Vikram, Choe, Keith Patrick
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Caltech Library 2022
• Subjects: C. Elegans; Expression Data; New Finding; Phenotype Data
• ISSN: 2578-9430; 2578-9430
• DOI: 10.17912/micropub.biology.000688

Nematode cuticles are extracellular matrices (ECMs) that function as structural support and permeability barriers. Genetic disruption of specific cuticle collagen structures or secreted epidermal proteins in activates stress response genes in epithelial cells suggesting the presence of an extracellular damage signaling mechanism. Cuticles are replaced during development molting but investigations of extracellular signaling to stress responses have focused on adults. In our current study, we measured cuticle phenotypes and stress response gene expression in all post-embryonic stages of mutant strains for a collagen and two secreted epidermal proteins to gain insights into developmental patterns.