Transcription regulatory networks in Caenorhabditis elegans

Gene

Public Gene Name

daf-19  

Sequence Name

F33H1.1  

WB ID

WBGene00000914  

Description

daf-19 is the sole C. elegans member of the RFX family of transcription factors, and is required for sensory neuron cilium formation; DAF-19 is expressed in ciliated sensory neurons during the period that their cilia are generated, and probably functions as an common transcriptional activator of many genes that specifically encode cilial structures in sensory neurons; daf-19 mutants lack sensory cilia, have abnormal amphids, are strongly dauer-constutive, lack normal openings of the amphids to the external environment (i.e., fail to show dye-filling), and are highly defective in their ability to taste or smell; DAF-19 regulates bbs-5, che-2, che-13, dyf-3, osm-1, osm-6, and xbx-1 expression, and probably regulates ~200 other genes (e.g., bbs-2, bbs-7 and bbs-8); the localization of DAF-6 is aberrant in daf-19 mutants.