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Higher-order epistasis shapes natural variation in germ stem cell niche activity

Author

Listed:
  • Sarah R. Fausett

    (Université Côte d’Azur, CNRS, Inserm, IBV
    University of North Carolina Wilmington)

  • Asma Sandjak

    (Université Côte d’Azur, CNRS, Inserm, IBV)

  • Bénédicte Billard

    (Université Côte d’Azur, CNRS, Inserm, IBV)

  • Christian Braendle

    (Université Côte d’Azur, CNRS, Inserm, IBV)

Abstract

To study how natural allelic variation explains quantitative developmental system variation, we characterized natural differences in germ stem cell niche activity, measured as progenitor zone (PZ) size, between two Caenorhabditis elegans isolates. Linkage mapping yielded candidate loci on chromosomes II and V, and we found that the isolate with a smaller PZ size harbours a 148 bp promoter deletion in the Notch ligand, lag-2/Delta, a central signal promoting germ stem cell fate. As predicted, introducing this deletion into the isolate with a large PZ resulted in a smaller PZ size. Unexpectedly, restoring the deleted ancestral sequence in the isolate with a smaller PZ did not increase—but instead further reduced—PZ size. These seemingly contradictory phenotypic effects are explained by epistatic interactions between the lag-2/Delta promoter, the chromosome II locus, and additional background loci. These results provide first insights into the quantitative genetic architecture regulating an animal stem cell system.

Suggested Citation

  • Sarah R. Fausett & Asma Sandjak & Bénédicte Billard & Christian Braendle, 2023. "Higher-order epistasis shapes natural variation in germ stem cell niche activity," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-15, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:14:y:2023:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-023-38527-0
    DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-38527-0
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Arjun Raj & Scott A. Rifkin & Erik Andersen & Alexander van Oudenaarden, 2010. "Variability in gene expression underlies incomplete penetrance," Nature, Nature, vol. 463(7283), pages 913-918, February.
    2. Sandeep Gopal & Aqilah Amran & Andre Elton & Leelee Ng & Roger Pocock, 2021. "A somatic proteoglycan controls Notch-directed germ cell fate," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 12(1), pages 1-13, December.
    3. Sneha L. Koneru & Mark Hintze & Dimitris Katsanos & Michalis Barkoulas, 2021. "Cryptic genetic variation in a heat shock protein modifies the outcome of a mutation affecting epidermal stem cell development in C. elegans," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 12(1), pages 1-12, December.
    4. Manjunatha Thondamal & Michael Witting & Philippe Schmitt-Kopplin & Hugo Aguilaniu, 2014. "Steroid hormone signalling links reproduction to lifespan in dietary-restricted Caenorhabditis elegans," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 5(1), pages 1-8, December.
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