dpy-5 encodes a Group I cuticle procollagen; dpy-5 activity is required for wild-type body length, cuticle structure (width of the annuli), postembryonic growth rates, and reproduction; dpy-5 is described as an intermediate collagen gene, as its mRNA, which is present in all larval stages, adults, and dauer larvae, increases in abudance two hours prior to the secretion of each new cuticle; a dpy-5::gfp fusion gene is expressed in hypodermal cells from mid-to-late L1 larval stages to adulthood, with notably variable expression in the V lineage-derived seam cells; dpy-5 mutations suppress mutations in bli-4, which encodes a proprotein convertase that may process DPY-5 for normal cuticle production; in addition, dpy-5 is required for normal expression patterns of the COL-19, DPY-7, and DPY-13 cuticle collagens.
A structural constituent of collagen and cuticulin-based cuticle. Involved in cuticle development involved in collagen and cuticulin-based cuticle molting cycle and post-embryonic body morphogenesis. Located in collagen and cuticulin-based cuticle extracellular matrix. Expressed in hypodermis.