Figure 4. Consequences of SHOC2^S2G expression in C. elegans vulva development.

(a–d) Nomarski images of vulvas of adult animals. A normal vulva is observed in animals expressing SHOC2^wt (a), while in worms expressing SHOC2^S2G (b and c) or myr::SHOC2^wt (d) a protrusion of the vulva is visible. (e–j) Subcellular localization of V5-tagged SHOC2 proteins in C. elegans cells. In excretory canal cells (e–g) and intestinal cells (h–j), SHOC2^wt protein is present throughout the cytoplasm (e and h), while both SHOC2^S2G (f and i) and myr::SHOC2^wt (g and j) are enriched in or restricted to the plasma membrane. Anti-V5 antibody (red) was used to visualize SHOC2 proteins. In intestinal cells, nuclei express GFP due to pelt-2::GFP plasmid used as a marker for transformation. (k–n) Nomarski images of vulval precursor cells at L3 stage. In animals expressing SHOC2^wt only P6.p descendant invaginate (k), while in SHOC2^S2G (l and m) and myr::SHOC2^wt (n) expressing animals also P5.p (l to n) and P7.p descendants (m and n) detach from the cuticle. Black arrowheads point to P6.p descendant invagination, while white arrowheads point to P5.p and P7.p descendant invagination. Anterior is to the left and dorsal is up in all images.