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Novel function of the class I bHLH protein Daughterless in the negative regulation of proneural gene expression in the Drosophila eye
Author(s) -
Lim Janghoo,
JafarNejad Hamed,
Hsu YaChieh,
Choi KwangWook
Publication year - 2008
Publication title -
embo reports
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 4.584
H-Index - 184
eISSN - 1469-3178
pISSN - 1469-221X
DOI - 10.1038/embor.2008.166
Subject(s) - biology , function (biology) , gene , genetics , drosophila (subgenus) , gene expression , regulation of gene expression , class (philosophy) , microbiology and biotechnology , expression (computer science) , drosophila melanogaster , computer science , artificial intelligence , programming language
Two types of basic helix–loop–helix (bHLH) family transcription factor have functions in neurogenesis. Class II bHLH proteins are expressed in tissue‐specific patterns, whereas class I proteins are broadly expressed as general cofactors for class II proteins. Here, we show that the Drosophila class I factor Daughterless (Da) is upregulated by Hedgehog (Hh) and Decapentaplegic (Dpp) signalling during retinal neurogenesis. Our data suggest that Da is accumulated in the cells surrounding the neuronal precursor cells to repress the proneural gene atonal ( ato ), thereby generating a single R8 neuron from each proneural cluster. Upregulation of Da depends on Notch signalling, and, in turn, induces the expression of the Enhancer‐of‐split proteins for the repression of ato . We propose that the dual functions of Da—as a proneural and as an anti‐proneural factor—are crucial for initial neural patterning in the eye.