Controlling protein activity and localization is a key tool in modern biology. Mammalian steroid receptor ligand-binding domain (LBD) fusions have been used in a range of organisms and cell types to inactivate proteins of interest until the cognate steroid ligand is applied. Here, we demonstrate that the glucocorticoid receptor LBD confers ligand-gated control of a heterologous gene expression system (Q system) and the DAF-16 transcription factor in Caenorhabditis elegans These experiments provide a powerful tool for temporal control of protein activity, and will bolster existing tools used to modulate gene expression and protein activity in this animal.
Keywords: Caenorhabditis elegans; Glucocorticoid receptor; drug inducible; gene expression; ligand-binding domain.
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