High impact information on zyg-11

• Here, we establish that zyg-11 and the cullin cul-2 promote the metaphase-to-anaphase transition and M phase exit at meiosis II in Caenorhabditis elegans [1].
• Mutations at the zyg-9 locus appear to specifically affect microtubule function in one-cell embryos while zyg-11 mutations affect many cytoplasmic properties [2].
• The product of the maternally acting gene zyg-11 is required for early embryogenesis of Caenorhabditis elegans [3].
• One-cell embryos that lack a functional zyg-11 gene product exhibit an arrest of meiosis at metaphase II, a delay in the formation of pronuclei, unusually vigorous movements of cytoplasm, the formation of multiple pronuclei, incorrect segregation of P granules, and incorrect placement of the first cleavage furrow [3].
• A transcriptional analysis shows that transcription of the gene is not limited to the female germ-line, despite the strict maternal-effect phenotype of zyg-11 mutations [3].

Analytical, diagnostic and therapeutic context of zyg-11

• We have isolated and sequenced a molecular clone of zyg-11, and shown that microinjection of the cloned DNA can rescue zyg-11 mutations [3].

References