2000 West Coast Worm Meeting abstract 92
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Department of MCD Biology, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO 80309
In an attempt to identify new genes that participate in C. elegans vulva development, we carried out a screen for sterile mutants with protruding vulva. The mutants were then examined using Nomarski optics for abnormal vulva morphology at the "Christmas tree" stage. Several of isolated mutations were alleles of evl genes previously identified by Geraldine Seydoux . Here we report genetic and phenotypic characterization of two such genes, evl-14 and evl-20. Both mutations are completely recessive and result in a 100 % sterile phenotype. Their vulva structures are variably abnormal and are missing anywhere from 0 to 10 cells suggesting either under induction or cell cycle/division defect. In order to distinguish between these possibilities we are making doubles with members of Ras signaling pathway and GFP reporters for vulval cell fates. We are also performing detailed lineage analysis of the mutants. evl-20 also displays gonad migration defect not seen in evl-14. evl-14 maps to linkage group III just left of pal-1. evl-20 is located on chromosome II next to rol-6. We have injected cosmids from these regions and identified cosmid pools that rescue both evl-14 and evl-20. We are in the process of injecting single cosmids and making subclones to identify single open reading frames that will rescue the mutants.