CHARACTERIZATION OF THE LET-653 GENE IN CAENORHABDITIS-ELEGANS

A mutation in the let-653 gene of Caenorhabditis elegans results in la rval death. The lethal arrest is concurrent with the appearance of a v acuole anterior to the lower pharyngeal bulb. The position of the vacu ole is consistent with a dysfunction of the secretory/excretory appara tus. Germline transformation rescue experiments were able to position the let-653 gene to two overlapping cosmid subclones. Sequence data ge nerated from both cDNA and genomic DNA subclones indicated that let-65 3 encodes a mucin-like protein. Our characterization suggests that a m ucin-like protein is essential for effective functioning of the secret ory/excretory apparatus within C. elegans.