This family consists of the ground-like domain and is specific to C.elegans. It has been proposed that the ground-like domain containing proteins may bind and modulate the activity of Patched-like membrane molecules, reminiscent of the modulating activities of neuropeptides [1].

1: Caenorhabditis elegans has scores of hedgehog-related genes: sequence and expression analysis. Aspock G, Kagoshima H, Niklaus G, Burglin TR; Genome Res 1999;9:909-923. PMID:10523520