Figure 4. Effectors of morphogenesis identified in the RNAi screen. DIC images of RNAi phenotypes in adult males (top of each panel), expression patterns in the male tail of early L4 (eL4), mid L4 (mL4) and/or late L4 (lL4) (middle of each panel), and schematic of expression/localization patterns (bottom of each panel). Arrows in the DIC images indicate Lep tail tips; arrows in the fluorescent images indicate localization patterns of interest. (A)
rme-8(RNAi) results in a total failure of tail tip morphogenesis. RME-8::GFP localizes to the edge of detaching and retracting tail tip cells as puncta (depicted as dark green dots in the schematic). (B)
arl-1(RNAi) causes a disruption of tail tip retraction. ARL-1::GFP is expressed cytoplasmically at extremely low levels in
hyp8-11 prior to morphogenesis (eL4); during morphogenesis (lL4), it localizes to distinct puncta (dark green dots in the schematic). (C, D)
inx-12(RNAi) and
inx-13(RNAi) result in subtle Lep phenotypes. Reporters for
inx-12 and
inx-13 are expressed in tail tip cells prior to and during morphogenesis. (E)
cdc-42(RNAi) results in a Lep phenotype. CDC-42::GFP is cytoplasmic prior to tail tip retraction, localizes to the membranes and discrete puncta during retraction (arrow), and becomes cytoplasmic again in late L4 and adults. (F)
nmy-2(RNAi) results in Lep phenotypes. NMY-2::mCherry localizes to the posterior end of retracting tail tip cells and to the ventral surface of the male tail (arrowheads). (G) abcx- 1(RNAi) results in Lep phenotypes. ABCX-1::GFP is expressed in
hyp8, 9 and 11 prior to but not during morphogenesis. Expression is absent from
hyp10 (arrowhead). (H)
rcn-1(RNAi) causes Lep phenotypes. RCN-1::GFP is expressed in PHCL and PHCR (arrows), as well as in other more anterior neurons during tail tip morphogenesis. After morphogenesis, expression is intense in the phasmid socket cells (arrowhead).