The DAF-4

gene In biology, the word gene (from , ; "...Wilhelm Johannsen coined the word gene to describe the Mendelian units of heredity..." meaning ''generation'' or ''birth'' or ''gender'') can have several different meanings. The Mendelian gene is a ba ...

encodes for the only type II receptor of

TGF-beta signaling pathway The transforming growth factor beta (TGFB) signaling pathway is involved in many cellular processes in both the adult organism and the developing embryo including cell growth, cell differentiation, cell migration, apoptosis, cellular homeostasis an ...

in the worm ''

Caenorhabditis elegans ''Caenorhabditis elegans'' () is a free-living transparent nematode about 1 mm in length that lives in temperate soil environments. It is the type species of its genus. The name is a blend of the Greek ''caeno-'' (recent), ''rhabditis'' (ro ...

'', with the ligands

Daf-7 The DAF-7 gene encodes for the ortholog of GDF11, a ligand of TGF-beta signaling pathway, in the worm ''Caenorhabditis elegans''. When binds to the complex of type II receptor Daf-4 and type I receptor Daf-1, this receptor protein serine/threoni ...

or Dbl-1. When binds to the ligand

, Daf-4 complexed with the type I receptor

Daf-1 The DAF-1 gene encodes for a cell surface Enzyme-linked receptor of TGF-beta signaling pathway in the worm ''Caenorhabditis elegans''. DAF-1 is one of the type I receptor of TGF-beta pathway. DAF-1 acts as a receptor protein serine/threonine ...

, and activated the Smad Protein

Daf-8 The DAF-8 nematode gene encoding a R-SMAD protein of TGF-beta signaling pathway, which was originally found in model organism ''Caenorhabditis elegans''. When the TGF-β ligand daf-7 binds to the TGF-β receptors daf-1/daf-4 on the surface of nemat ...

/ 14. By contrast, when binds to Dbl-1, Daf-4 complexed with the Sma-6 type I receptor, and activated the Sma-2/3/4.

References

Caenorhabditis elegans genes {{Gene-stub