Transcription regulatory networks in Caenorhabditis elegans

Gene

Public Gene Name

mab-20  

Sequence Name

Y71G12B.20  

WB ID

WBGene00003111  

Description

mab-20 encodes the C. elegans Semaphorin-2A ortholog; during development, mab-20 activity is required for proper epidermal morphogenesis and axon guidance; specifically, MAB-20, which functions to prevent ectopic, adhesive cell contacts, is required for ventral enclosure during embryogenesis, normal body morphology, and proper formation of sensory rays in the male tail; co-immunoprecipitation experiments demonstrate that MAB-20 interacts with the PLX-2 receptor and that this interaction is strengthened by LAD-2 which can interact with both proteins independently; a MAB-20::GFP reporter, which localizes to the cell surface, is expressed ubiquitously in embryos beginning at morphogenesis; in larvae and adults, MAB-20::GFP is seen in dividing seam cells, neurons, vulval cells, the distal tip cell in hermaphrodites and in males, is additionally seen in the linker cell, cells in the posterior ganglia, and the 9 R(n) ray precursor cells.