Abstract

Genes involved in the determination and differentiation of segmental identity in Drosophila melanogaster have been identified by genetic interactions with the homeotic genes already known to be required. Many new genes required for transcriptional activation or repression of the homeotic genes have been identified. We have cloned two of the genes required for transcriptional activation and one gene required for trancriptional repression. The two genes required for transcriptional activation encode subunits of the TRAP/SMCC transcriptional coactivator complex. Maternal and zygotic expressions of both genes are required for both segmentation and segmental identity. The new homeotic transcriptional repressor encodes a zinc-finger protein conserved between Drosophila and man.We have also continued our genetic and developmental characterization of the brahma chromatin remodelling complex, which is also required for transcriptional activation of homeotic genes in Drosophila. We have identified cis-regulatory elements in two target genes and have been isolating mutations that specifically disrupt interactions of brahma with these two different target genes.

  Funding Agency

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health & Human Development (NICHD)
Type
Intramural Research (Z01)
Project #
1Z01HD001005-13
Application #
6432542
Study Section
(LMG)
Project Start
Project End
Budget Start
Budget End
Support Year
13
Fiscal Year
2000
Total Cost
Indirect Cost

  Institution

Name
U.S. National Inst/Child Hlth/Human Dev
Department
Type
DUNS #
City
State
Country
United States
Zip Code

  Publications

Chang, Yuh-Long; King, Balas; Lin, Shu-Chun et al. (2007) A double-bromodomain protein, FSH-S, activates the homeotic gene ultrabithorax through a critical promoter-proximal region. Mol Cell Biol 27:5486-98
Stultz, Brian G; Jackson, Donald G; Mortin, Mark A et al. (2006) Transcriptional activation by extradenticle in the Drosophila visceral mesoderm. Dev Biol 290:482-94
Bi, Xiaolin; Jones, Tamara; Abbasi, Fatima et al. (2005) Drosophila caliban, a nuclear export mediator, can function as a tumor suppressor in human lung cancer cells. Oncogene 24:8229-39
Kennison, James A (2004) Introduction to Trx-G and Pc-G genes. Methods Enzymol 377:61-70
Gutierrez, Luis; Zurita, Mario; Kennison, James A et al. (2003) The Drosophila trithorax group gene tonalli (tna) interacts genetically with the Brahma remodeling complex and encodes an SP-RING finger protein. Development 130:343-54
Moshkin, Yuri M; Armstrong, Jennifer A; Maeda, Robert K et al. (2002) Histone chaperone ASF1 cooperates with the Brahma chromatin-remodelling machinery. Genes Dev 16:2621-6
Eissenberg, Joel C; Ma, Jiyan; Gerber, Mark A et al. (2002) dELL is an essential RNA polymerase II elongation factor with a general role in development. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 99:9894-9
Kennison, James A; Southworth, Jeffrey W (2002) Transvection in Drosophila. Adv Genet 46:399-420
Veraksa, Alexey; Kennison, James; McGinnis, William (2002) DEAF-1 function is essential for the early embryonic development of Drosophila. Genesis 33:67-76
Southworth, Jeffrey W; Kennison, James A (2002) Transvection and silencing of the Scr homeotic gene of Drosophila melanogaster. Genetics 161:733-46

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