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J. Biol. Chem., Vol. 277, Issue 14, 12228-12236, April 5, 2002

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The Caenorhabditis elegans ADAMTS Family Gene adt-1 Is Necessary for Morphogenesis of the Male Copulatory Organs^*

Kouji Kuno^**§, Chie Baba, Atsuko Asaka, Chieko Matsushima^¶, Kouji Matsushima, and Ryuji Hosono^¶

From the  Department of Basic and Clinical Oncology, ^** Center for the Development of Molecular Target Drugs, Cancer Research Institute, Kanazawa University, 13-1 Takara-machi, Kanazawa, Ishikawa 920-0934, Japan, the ^¶ Department of Physical Information, Faculty of Medicine, Kanazawa University, 5-11-80 Kodatsuno, Kanazawa, Ishikawa 920-0942, Japan, and the  Department of Molecular Preventive Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113, Japan

Remodeling of the extracellular matrix (ECM) is pivotal for various biological processes, including organ morphology and development. The Caenorhabditis elegans male tail has male-specific copulatory organs, the rays and the fan. Ray morphogenesis, which involves a rapid remodeling of the ECM, is an important model of morphogenesis, although its mechanism is poorly understood. ADAMTS (a disintegrin-like and metalloproteinase with thrombospondin type I motifs) is a novel metalloproteinase family that is thought to be an important regulator for ECM remodeling during development and pathological states. We report here that a new C. elegans ADAMTS family gene, adt-1, plays an important regulatory role in ray morphogenesis. Inactivation of the adt-1 gene resulted in morphological changes in the rays as well as the appearance of abnormal protuberances around the rays. In addition, mating ability was remarkably impaired in adt-1 deletion mutant males. Furthermore, we found that the green fluorescent protein reporter driven by the adt-1 promoter was specifically expressed throughout the rays in the male tail. We hypothesize that ADT-1 controls the ray extension process via remodeling of the ECM in the cuticle.

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