Single mutant of
lin-39 and
mab-5 each retained the ability to carry out extensive M lineage diversification. The M lineage in null mutant
lin-39(
n1760) animals was normal, whereas limited M lineage defects were observed in null
mab-5(
e1239) mutants. Observations of the M lineage in
lin-39(
n1760)
mab-5(
e1239) mutant animals suggest that several cell cycles that are normally a part of the lineage are replaced by precocious differentiation, producing a series of cellular stages with each sharing a limited set of properties with a specific M-lineage-derived cell type (first sex myoblasts and then sex muscles).