The homeobox gene defective proventriculus (dve) is essential for wide ranges of organ formation, such as nervous system and midgut in Drosophila. Mammalian homolog of DVE, SATB1/2 is involved in chromatin remodeling essential for the maturation of the immune T-cell. C. elegans homolog, DVE-1 has known to be a transcriptional modulator genetically associated with EOR-1 and EOR-2 which was downstream of EGF and FGF signaling. We aim to identify functions of
dve-1, ZK1193.5 that encodes similar proteins containing N-terminal COMPASS domain and two homeodomains. DVE-1::GFP was expressed in various developing cells, such as vulva, lateral seam, intestine and also in male tail. Interestingly, DVE-1::GFP was localized to the nucleus in a vacuolar-like patterns, suggesting that, like HPL-1 (heterochromatin protein 1 homolog), DVE-1 might also be associated with specific nuclear sub-domains and play an essential role in the dynamic organization of nuclear architect. Most of the
dve-1 (RNAi) animals were arrested at L1 stage with malformation of intestine which tubular lumen was partially dilated. We assume that DVE-1 was required for development of intestine. We are currently trying to find the role of DVE-1 in formation of intestine by genetic assay.