The molecular chaperone HSP90 promotes Notch signaling in the germline of Caenorhabditis elegans

Notch signaling is required for maintenance and proliferation of germline stem cells in Caenorhabditis elegans. The Notch pathway is disrupted in several human genetic diseases and cancers, pointing to this pathway's important role in development and cellular proliferation. While the molecular chaperone HSP90 is a central player in folding and maturation of many proteins in proliferative signaling pathways, there had been no data suggesting involvement of HSP90 in Notch signaling in development. Here we provide evidence that HSP90 plays an essential role in Notch signaling in development, specifically in mitotic proliferation of germline stem cells in C. elegans.