qua-1 encodes a hedgehog-like protein, with (from N- to C-terminus) asignal sequence, a Qua domain, a 5W repeat, an extended region oflow-complexity sequence, and a Hint/Hog domain; QUA-1 is conserved amongnematodes from Caenorhabditis to Brugia; QUA-1 is expressed prior tomolting in hyp1 to hyp11 hypodermal cells, but not in seam cells, andceases to be expressed after each molting cycle or in gravid adults nolonger molting; QUA-1 is strongly required for normal molting, withlethal molting defects in qua-1 mutants and severe defects inqua-1(RNAi) animals; similar molting defects in RNAi of ptr-4 and ptr-23(encoding Dispatched homologs) suggest that PTR-4 and PTR-23 may exportQUA-1 from hypodermal cells synthesizing it; other sites of QUA-1expression include intestinal and rectal cells, excretory duct and porecells, sensilla support cells, the P cell lineage in L1, body wallmuscle, and the adult reproductive system; QUA-1 is also required fornormal adult alae formation, growth to full size, cuticle adhesion,locomotion, and male tail development; the Hint/Hog domain is predictedto cut QUA-1 into two halves and then covalently link cholesterol to theC-terminus of the Qua domain; the Qua domain is predicted to form acysteine-crosslinked protein involved in intercellular signalling, andthe Qua domain has subtle similarity to the N-terminal Hedge domain ofHEDGEHOG proteins; both Qua and Hint/Hog domains are required fortransgenic rescue of a lethal qua-1 allele; defects in both qua-1mutants and qua-1(RNAi) animals; all of QUA-1's functions may reflectcommon defects in cholesterol-dependent hedgehog-like signalling.
Involved in molting cycle and nematode larval development. Acts upstream of or within nematode male tail mating organ morphogenesis. Located in collagen and cuticulin-based cuticle extracellular matrix. Expressed in several structures, including P1; P12; P2; excretory system; and hypodermal cell.
Map position created from combination of previous interpolated map position (based on known location of sequence) and allele information. Therefore this is not a genetic map position based on recombination frequencies or genetic experiments. This was done on advice of the CGC.