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Here we address this question using a novel integrative approach that combines quantitative measurements of morphogen-induced gene expression at single-mRNA resolution with mathematical modelling of the induction process. We focus on the induction of Notch ligands by the LIN-3\/EGF morphogen gradient during vulva induction in\n                    <jats:italic>Caenorhabditis elegans<\/jats:italic>\n                    . We show that LIN-3\/EGF-induced Notch ligand expression is highly dynamic, exhibiting an abrupt transition from low to high expression. Similar transitions in Notch ligand expression are observed in two highly divergent wild\n                    <jats:italic>C. elegans<\/jats:italic>\n                    isolates. Mathematical modelling and experiments show that this transition is driven by a dynamic increase in the sensitivity of the induced cells to external LIN-3\/EGF. Furthermore, this increase in sensitivity is independent of the presence of LIN-3\/EGF. Our integrative approach might be useful to study induction by morphogen gradients in other systems.\n                  <\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.1038\/ncomms8053","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2015,5,12]],"date-time":"2015-05-12T07:37:03Z","timestamp":1431416223000},"update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1007\/springer_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":12,"title":["Cells change their sensitivity to an EGF morphogen gradient to control EGF-induced gene expression"],"prefix":"10.1038","volume":"6","author":[{"given":"Jeroen Sebastiaan","family":"van Zon","sequence":"first","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Simone","family":"Kienle","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Guizela","family":"Huelsz-Prince","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Michalis","family":"Barkoulas","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Alexander","family":"van Oudenaarden","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"297","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2015,5,11]]},"reference":[{"key":"BFncomms8053_CR1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"377","DOI":"10.1146\/annurev-cellbio-092910-154148","volume":"27","author":"KW Rogers","year":"2011","unstructured":"Rogers, K. 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