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SEK‐1 MAPKK mediates Ca 2+ signaling to determine neuronal asymmetric development in Caenorhabditis elegans
Author(s) -
TanakaHino Miho,
Sagasti Alvaro,
Hisamoto Naoki,
Kawasaki Masato,
Nakano Shunji,
NinomiyaTsuji Jun,
Bargmann Cornelia I,
Matsumoto Kunihiro
Publication year - 2002
Publication title -
embo reports
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 4.584
H-Index - 184
eISSN - 1469-3178
pISSN - 1469-221X
DOI - 10.1093/embo-reports/kvf001
Subject(s) - caenorhabditis elegans , microbiology and biotechnology , mapk/erk pathway , map kinase kinase kinase , mapk cascade , protein kinase a , signal transduction , biology , kinase , mitogen activated protein kinase kinase , c raf , ask1 , chemistry , biochemistry , gene
The mitogen‐activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathway is a highly conserved signaling cascade that converts extracellular signals into various outputs. In Caenorhabditis elegans , asymmetric expression of the candidate odorant receptor STR‐2 in either the left or the right of two bilaterally symmetrical olfactory AWC neurons is regulated by axon contact and Ca 2+ signaling. We show that the MAPK kinase (MAPKK) SEK‐1 is required for asymmetric expression in AWC neurons. Genetic and biochemical analyses reveal that SEK‐1 functions in a pathway downstream of UNC‐43 and NSY‐1, Ca 2+ /calmodulin‐dependent protein kinase II (CaMKII) and MAPK kinase kinase (MAPKKK), respectively. Thus, the NSY‐1–SEK‐1–MAPK cascade is activated by Ca 2+ signaling through CaMKII and establishes asymmetric cell fate decision during neuronal development.