Eisenmann DM (2011) Cell Cycle "C. elegans seam cells as stem cells: Wnt signaling and casein kinase I regulate asymmetric cell divisions in an epidermal progenitor cell type."

Eisenmann DM

[Cell Cycle, 2011]

Comment on: Banerjee D, et al. Cell Cycle 2010; 9:4748-65.

Tepass U (2003) Nat Cell Biol "Claudin complexities at the apical junctional complex."

Tepass U

[Nat Cell Biol, 2003]

Chordate claudins are core components of tight junctions. By contrast, VAB-9, a nematode four-pass transmembrane protein related to claudins, localizes to adherens junctions and contributes to cell adhesion and actin - plasma membrane association.

Vaupel JW et al. (1994) Science "Rates of mortality in populations of Caenorhabditis elegans."

Vaupel JW, Lithgow GJ, Xiu L, Fukui HH, Curtsinger JW, Khazaeli A, Pletcher S, Capra WB, Carey JR, Johnson TE, Muller HG, Wang JL

[Science, 1994]

A. Brooks et al. report that mortality increased exponentially for a cohort of 180,000 nematodes of the species Caenorhabditis elegans of the single genotype TJ1060 [spe-9(hc88) fer-15(b26)]. A closer look at the data reveals that from days 5 through 8 mortality increased at a rate of 0.58 +/- 0.0004, which is more than twice the rate thereafter (0.21 +/- 0.02). Such a "biphasic pattern," with death rates increasing rapidly at younger ages and more slowly at older ages, was also found in a genetically heterogeneous population of 79 recombinant-inbred (RI) strains.

Hengartner MO (1997) Nature "Apoptosis. CED-4 is a stranger no more."

Hengartner MO

[Nature, 1997]

The nematode worm Caenorhabditis elegans has been used with great success to identify the basic components of the machinery underlying apoptosis (programmed cell death). Indeed, of the three key cell death genes that have been identified in C. elegans, two - ced-3 and ced-9 - have mammalian homologues that also function in apoptosis. But the sequence of the third gene, ced-4, revealed no obvious mammalian homologue, and precious little in terms of possible mechanism of action. A flurry of activity has changed that. A paper by Zou et al., published earlier this month in Cell, provides a homologue. And work by Chinnaiyan et al. (page 728 of this issue) and by Seshagiri and Miller in Current Biology lays down some choreography for the part that CED-4 protein plays in the molecular dance of death.

Nishimura H et al. (2016) Worm "Gamete interactions require transmembranous immunoglobulin-like proteins with conserved roles during evolution."

Nishimura H, L'Hernault SW

[Worm, 2016]

C. elegans spe-9 class genes are male germline-enriched in their expression and indispensable during sperm-oocyte fusion. Identification of mammalian orthologs that exhibit similar functions to these C. elegans genes has been a challenge. The mouse Izumo1 gene encodes a sperm-specific, immunoglobulin (Ig)-like transmembrane (TM) protein that is required for gamete fusion. We recently identified the C. elegans spe-45 gene, which shows male germline-enriched expression and encodes an Ig-like TM protein. spe-45 mutant worms produced otherwise normal spermatozoa that cannot fuse with oocytes, causing essentially the same phenotype as that seen in the Izumo1-knockout mice. By counting the number of self-sperm in the spermatheca of spe-45 hermaphrodites, it was found that this gene might be involved in sperm guidance from the uterus into the spermatheca, as well as gamete fusion. Moreover, we discovered that SPE-45 and IZUMO1 share certain functions for gamete fusion, which are presumably related to binding with cis- and/or trans-partners. Intriguingly, various organisms have Ig-like TM proteins that act during gamete interactions, indicating the wide-spread utility of Ig-like domains during fertilization.

Enk CD et al. (2003) Isr Med Assoc J "Onchocerciasis among Ethiopian immigrants in Israel."

Greenberg Z, Enk CD, Amit Y, Anteby I, Strauss U, Marva E, Jonas F, Maayan S, Abramson N, BenEzra D, Bergshtein-Kronhaus T, Amer R, Cohen E

[Isr Med Assoc J, 2003]

BACKGROUND: Onchocerciasis results from infestation by the nematode Onchocerca volvulus, and is characterized clinically by troublesome itching, skin lesions and eye manifestations. Since 1992, approximately 9,000 immigrants have arrived in Israel from the Kuwara province of northwest Ethiopia where the prevalence of onchocerciasis is particularly high. OBJECTIVES: To determine whether onchocerciasis is the cause of cutaneous and ocular symptoms among recent immigrants from the Kuwara province in Ethiopia. METHODS: We examined 1,200 recent immigrants from the Kuwara province residing at the Mevasseret Zion immigration center outside Jerusalem. Among them, patients with cutaneous signs suggestive of onchocerciasis underwent a skin-snip biopsy and a thorough eye examination. RESULTS: In the detailed skin examination performed in 83 patients, the most common skin finding was chronic papular onchodermatitis, found in more than 46 patients (55%); depigmentation and atrophy was found in 13 (15%) and 12 (14%), respectively. In 40 patients (48%), living microfilaria were detected in their skin snips. Of the 65 patients who underwent a through eye examination, 45 patients (66%) had ocular complaints. Corneal abnormalities were found in 55 of the 130 eyes (42%), active anterior segment intraocular inflammation and live microfilariae were found in 4 eyes (3%) and lens changes in 16 eyes (1%). Eleven eyes (9%) showed retinal or choroidal changes. CONCLUSIONS: Skin and eye manifestations associated with onchocerciasis are prevalent among symptomatic Ethiopians who immigrated to Israel from the Kuwara province.