[
International C. elegans Meeting,
1995]
The gene T23G5.5 shares homology with the family of neurotransmitter transporters which possess 12 trans-membrane regions. This family of genes is highly conserved throughout the animal kingdom. We have created a fusion between a lacZ reporter gene and 6.4kb of DNA upstream of T23G5.5. The fusion occurs in the middle of the ninth predicted exon of T23G5.5. The 6.4kb upstream region also contains the gene T23G5.6 and its upstream region. When injected into C. elegans this construct shows nuclear localized expression in 6 cells of the head ganglia from the L1 stage onwards. A further component manifests itself during L2, when a bilaterally symmetric pair of nuclei in the posterior lateral ganglia begin expression. This pair of neurons can be identified as being either PDEL/R, PDEsoL/R or PVDL/R. Sequential deletion of the upstream region has shown that a 640bp region directly upstream of the initiation codon is sufficient and necessary for the expression pattern. We are currently studying this region in greater depth.