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First published online 19 May 2004
doi: 10.1242/dev.01146

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PAR-3 is required for epithelial cell polarity in the distal spermatheca of C. elegans

Shinya Aono^1,*, Renaud Legouis², Wendy A. Hoose¹ and Kenneth J. Kemphues^1,

¹ Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Cornell University, 107 Biotechnology Building, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
² CNRS-CGM, Avenue de la Terasse, 91198 Gif-sur-Yvette, France

Author for correspondence (e-mail: kjk1{at}cornell.edu)

Accepted 26 February 2004

PAR-3 is localized asymmetrically in epithelial cells in a variety of animals from Caenorhabditis elegans to mammals. Although C. elegans PAR-3 is known to act in early blastomeres to polarize the embryo, a role for PAR-3 in epithelial cells of C. elegans has not been established. Using RNA interference to deplete PAR-3 in developing larvae, we discovered a requirement for PAR-3 in spermathecal development. Spermathecal precursor cells are born during larval development and differentiate into an epithelium that forms a tube for the storage of sperm. Eggs must enter the spermatheca to complete ovulation. PAR-3-depleted worms exhibit defects in ovulation. Consistent with this phenotype, PAR-3 is transiently expressed and localized asymmetrically in the developing somatic gonad, including the spermathecal precursor cells of L4 larvae. We found that the defect in ovulation can be partially suppressed by a mutation in IPP-5, an inositol polyphosphate 5-phosphatase, indicating that one effect of PAR-3 depletion is disruption of signaling between oocyte and spermatheca. Microscopy revealed that the distribution of AJM-1, an apical junction marker, and apical microfilaments are severely affected in the distal spermatheca of PAR-3-depleted worms. We propose that PAR-3 activity is required for the proper polarization of spermathecal cells and that defective ovulation results from defective distal spermathecal development.

Key words: Cell polarity, Ovulation, Gonadogenesis, Caenorhabditis elegans

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