Transcription regulatory networks in Caenorhabditis elegans

gpa-14 encodes a member of the G protein alpha subunit family of heterotrimeric GTPases; gpa-14 is expressed in ASI, ASJ, ASH, ASK, ADE, PHA, PHB ALA, AVA, CAN, DVA, PVQ, RIA, and in vulval muscle, and also exhibits faint expression in the vulval hypodermis.

B0238.12 encodes a putative secreted TIL-domain protease inhibitor paralogous to SWM-1, ISL-1, and the products of 11 other C. elegans genes; B0238.12 and its relatives are collectively similar to other TIL-domain protease inhibitors from nematodes, insects, and vertebrates; B0238.12 has no obvious function in mass RNAi assays.

asm-1 encodes a protein similar to human acid sphingomyelinase (ASM) or sphingomyelin phosphodiesterase; the ASM-1 protein has a putative secretory signal peptide at the N-terminus, saposin-like and proline-rich domains and putative N-linked glycosylation sites; asm-1 shows phosphodiesterase activity when expressed in COS-7 cells; while mammalian ASM is detected as both intracellular and secreted forms, asm-1 was detected exclusively in the secreted form; northern blot analysis indicates that asm-1 is expressed at higher levels in the embryo compared with other stages.

unc-5 encodes a netrin receptor; unc-5 activity is required cell autonomously for dorsalward cell and pioneer motor axon migrations along the body wall that are essential for normal locomotion and gonad development; unc-5 mRNAs are expressed throughout the entire life cycle, with increasing levels seen as animals progess to adulthood.