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Gcm1 , a mammalian homolog of Drosophila Glial Cells Missing
Author(s) -
Altshuller Yelena,
Copeland Neal G.,
Gilbert Debra J.,
Jenkins Nancy A.,
Frohman Michael A.
Publication year - 1996
Publication title -
febs letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.593
H-Index - 257
eISSN - 1873-3468
pISSN - 0014-5793
DOI - 10.1016/0014-5793(96)00890-3
Subject(s) - drosophila (subgenus) , microbiology and biotechnology , chemistry , biophysics , biology , biochemistry , gene
Differentiation of glia (astrocytes and oligodendrocytes) in Drosophila requires the gene glial cells missing ( gcm ), which controls lineage determination. In the absence of gcm , neuroglia progenitors exclusively differentiate into neurons, instead of into both neurons and glia. In contrast, ectopic overexpression of gcm causes uniform differentiation of the neuroglia progenitors into glia. Glial and neuronal cells in vertebrates similarly derive from neuroblast progenitors. To investigate vertebrate glial formation, we have identified, cloned, and chromosomally mapped a mammalian gcm homolog. Mouse Gcm1 demonstrates extensive similarity to Drosophila gcm but is expressed at very low levels during neuro‐ and gliogenesis.