Promoter trapping identifies real genes in C-elegans

Promoter trapping involved screening uncharacterized fragments of C. elegan s genomic DNA for C. elegans promoter activity. By sequencing the ends of t hese DNA fragments and locating their genomic origin using the available ge nome sequence data, promoter trapping has now been shown to identify real p romoters of real genes, exactly as anticipated. Developmental expression pa tterns have thereby been linked to gene sequence, allowing further inferenc es on gene function to be drawn. Some expression patterns generated by prom oter trapping include subcellular details. Localization to the surface of p articular cells or even particular aspects of the cell surface was found to be consistent with the genes, now associated with these patterns, encoding membrane-spanning proteins. Data on gene expression patterns are easier to generate and characterize than mutant phenotypes and may provide the best means of interpreting the large quantity of sequence data currently being g enerated in genome projects.