Abstract
Genetic studies have identified over a dozen genes that function in programmed cell death (apoptosis) in the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans. Although the ultimate effects on cell survival or engulfment of mutations in each cell death gene have been extensively described, much less is known about how these mutations affect the kinetics of death and engulfment, or the interactions between these two processes. We have used four-dimensional-Nomarski time-lapse video microscopy to follow in detail how cell death genes regulate the extent and kinetics of apoptotic cell death and removal in the early C. elegans embryo. Here we show that blocking engulfment enhances cell survival when cells are subjected to weak pro-apoptotic signals. Thus, genes that mediate corpse removal can also function to actively kill cells.
Publication types
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Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
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Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.
MeSH terms
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ATP-Binding Cassette Transporters / genetics
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ATP-Binding Cassette Transporters / physiology
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Animals
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Apoptosis Regulatory Proteins
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Apoptosis* / genetics
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Caenorhabditis elegans / cytology
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Caenorhabditis elegans / embryology
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Caenorhabditis elegans / genetics*
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Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins*
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Caspases / genetics*
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Caspases / physiology
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Cell Lineage
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Genes, Helminth
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Helminth Proteins / genetics*
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Helminth Proteins / physiology
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Microscopy, Video
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Mutation
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Phagocytosis / genetics*
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Phosphoproteins / genetics
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Phosphoproteins / physiology
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Video Recording
Substances
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ATP-Binding Cassette Transporters
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Apoptosis Regulatory Proteins
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CED-6 protein, C elegans
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CED-7 protein, C elegans
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Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins
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Helminth Proteins
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Phosphoproteins
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Caspases
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ced-3 protein, C elegans