Figure 6. Expression patterns of
ncr-1 and
ncr-2. (A-G) Expression pattern of the ncr-1Ap(l)::gfp construct. (A) Pharynx (pha), excretory cell (exc), and intestine (int) strongly express GFP, in an L1/L2 larva. (B) Enlarged view of the head region in A. Two out of the six IL2 neurons are in focus, indicated by arrowheads. The other head neurons are out of focus or obscured by strong fluorescence from the pharynx. (C) Expression in the excretory canal (ec, arrow) and rectal epithelial cells (arrowhead). (D) GFP is strongly expressed in the spermatheca (sp) of an adult worm, and also weakly expressed in the gonadal sheath and uterus wall. (E-G) Dynamic hypodermal expression of ncr-1Ap(l)::gfp during development. (E) GFP expression is first observed in the lateral hypodermal seam cells during late L1/early L2 stages. Individual seam cells are indicated by white arrowheads. (F) By the L4 stage, the entire hypodermis, consisting of seam cells and the lateral hypodermis, expresses GFP. White arrowheads indicate the edge of the lateral hypodermis. (G) After the L4/adult molt, the hypodermal expression diminishes. (H-J) Expression pattern of ncr-1Ap(s)::gfp fusion. (H) Expression in identified head neurons, including three out of the six IL2 neurons (the other three are out of focus), ASGL, pharyngeal neuron I6 and XXXL cell. (I,J) Starvation induces strong GFP expression in lateral hypodermis, but not in seam cells. Shown here are L2 stage larvae from normal growth conditions (I) and from a plate that has been starved for 12-24 hours (J). (K) The ncr-1Bp::gfp fusion is expressed in about 10 pairs of head neurons, in an L1 stage larva. (L,M) Expression pattern of
ncr-2p::gfp. (L) In an adult animal,
ncr-2p::gfp is strongly expressed in proximal gonadal sheath cells and weakly expressed in spermatheca. (M)
ncr-2p::dsRed2 expression (left) colocalizes with
daf-9::gfp (middle) in the XXX cells.
ncr-2p::dsRed2 is expressed diffusely throughout the cells, compared with the perinuclear pattern of
daf-9::gfp expression. In the merged view (right),
daf-9::gfp is pseudocolored yellow to reveal the red color better. Scale bars: 20 um.