Cis-regulatory sequences leading to female-specific expression of yolk protein genes 1 and 2 in the fat body of Drosophila melanogaster

1993 ◽  
Vol 237-237 (1-2) ◽  
pp. 41-48 ◽  
Author(s):  
Niels Abrahamsen ◽  
Alberto Martinez ◽  
Torben Kjær ◽  
Leif Søndergaard ◽  
Mary Bownes
Keyword(s):  
Drosophila Melanogaster ◽  
Fat Body ◽  
Yolk Protein ◽  
Regulatory Sequences ◽  
Specific Expression ◽  
Yolk Protein Genes ◽  
Female Specific

scholarly journals Two independent cis-acting elements regulate the sex- and tissue-specific expression ofyp3inDrosophila melanogaster

1995 ◽  
Vol 66 (1) ◽  
pp. 9-17 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elaine Ronaldson ◽  
Mary Bownes
Keyword(s):  
Fat Body ◽  
Germ Line ◽  
Ovarian Follicle ◽  
Yolk Protein ◽  
P Element ◽  
Follicle Cells ◽  
Cell Type Specificity ◽  
Specific Expression ◽  
Cis Acting ◽  
Ideal System

SummaryInDrosophila, the threeyolk protein(yp) genes are transcribed in a sex-, tissue- and developmentally specific manner, providing an ideal system in which to investigate the factors involved in their regulation. The yolk proteins are synthesized in the fat body of adult females, and in the ovarian follicle cells surrounding the developing oocyte during stages 8–10 of oogenesis. We report here an analysis of theyolk protein 3(yp3) gene and its flanking sequences by means of P-element mediated germ-line transformation and demonstrate that a 747 bp promoter region is sufficient to direct sex-specific expression in the female fat body and both the temporal- and cell-type-specificity of expression during oogenesis. Two elements that independently governyp3transcription in these tissues have been separated and no other sequences in the upstream, downstream or coding regions have been identified that are autonomously involved inyp3expression.

The use of an inhibitor of protein synthesis to investigate the roles of ecdysteroids and sex-determination genes on the expression of the genes encoding the Drosophila yolk proteins

Development ◽  
1987 ◽  
Vol 101 (4) ◽  
pp. 931-941
Author(s):  
M. Bownes ◽  
A. Scott ◽  
M. Blair
Keyword(s):  
Protein Synthesis ◽  
Sex Determination ◽  
Fat Body ◽  
Yolk Protein ◽  
Temperature Sensitive ◽  
Restrictive Temperature ◽  
Yolk Protein Genes ◽  
Fat Bodies ◽  
Inhibitor Of Protein Synthesis

The three yolk-protein genes of Drosophila are normally expressed only in adult female fat bodies and ovaries. 20-hydroxyecdysone can affect the transcription of these genes in males and females, as can mutations in the sex-determining genes tra, tra-2, ix and dsx. We have asked a number of basic questions about how these genes are regulated, using an inhibitor of protein synthesis (cycloheximide), labelling RNA in vivo, a temperature-sensitive sex-determination mutant (tra-2ts1), and 20-hydroxyecdysone. We have found that the yolk-protein genes are continuously transcribed in the fat bodies of adult females and that maintenance of this transcription requires protein synthesis. Hormone induction in males is also inhibited by cycloheximide, suggesting that the products of other genes are essential both for 20-hydroxyecdysone to be able to switch on the genes, and for their continuous transcription in the female fat body. The products of the tra-2 gene are also required for continuous transcription of the yolk-protein genes, suggesting that the pathway inhibited by the cycloheximide is that of the sex-determination hierarchy. 20-hydroxyecdysone can override the sex-determination system and induce yolk protein synthesis in normal males and tra-2ts reared and maintained at the restrictive temperature.

scholarly journals Regulation of Drosophila yolk protein genes by an ovary-specific GATA factor.

1995 ◽  
Vol 15 (12) ◽  
pp. 6943-6952 ◽  
Author(s):  
M Lossky ◽  
P C Wensink
Keyword(s):  
Fat Body ◽  
Regulatory Element ◽  
Ovarian Follicle ◽  
In Vitro Transcription ◽  
Yolk Protein ◽  
Follicle Cells ◽  
Gata Factor ◽  
Yolk Protein Genes

The divergently transcribed yolk protein genes (Yp1 and Yp2) of Drosophila melanogaster are expressed only in adult females, in fat body tissue and in ovarian follicle cells. Using an in vitro transcription assay, we have identified a single 12-bp DNA element that activates transcription from the promoters of both Yp genes. In vivo, this regulatory element is tissue specific: it activates transcription of Yp1 and Yp2 reporter genes in follicle cells but has no detectable effect in fat body or other tissues. The sequence of the element consists of two recognition sites for the GATA family of transcription factors. We show that among the Drosophila genes known to encode GATA factors, only dGATAb is expressed in ovaries. The single transcript that we detect in ovaries is alternatively spliced or initiated to produce an ovary-specific isoform of the protein. Bacterially expressed dGATAb binds to the 12-bp element; a similar binding activity is also present in the Kc0 nuclear extracts used for in vitro transcription assays. These in vitro and in vivo results lead us to propose that dGATAb makes several developmentally regulated products, one of which is a follicle cell-specific protein activating transcription of Yp1 and Yp2 from a known regulatory element.

The in situ localization of Adh transcripts in Drosophila species reveals evolved regulatory differences in spatially restricted expression

Genome ◽  
1994 ◽  
Vol 37 (6) ◽  
pp. 984-991
Author(s):  
Gogineni Ranganayakulu
Keyword(s):  
Gene Expression ◽  
Drosophila Melanogaster ◽  
In Situ Hybridization ◽  
Transcriptional Activity ◽  
Fat Body ◽  
Interspecific Variation ◽  
Specific Expression ◽  
Temporal Aspects ◽  
Drosophila Adh

Spatial and temporal aspects of Adh expression were examined during oogenesis and embryogenesis of Drosophila melanogaster, D. simulans, and D. virilis by in situ hybridization. In stage 14 and 15 embryos, differences in zygotic expression of Adh in the primordia of the gastric caecae of D. simulans and in the fat body of D. virilis were observed. These zygotic differences appear to be transient because Adh expression is seen in the gastric caecae of stage 16 embryos of D. simulans and in the fat body of stage 17 embryos of D. virilis. Analysis of D. melanogaster × D. simulans hybrids revealed that the parental difference for transcriptional activity of Adh in the primordia of the gastric caecae is under dominant control. These results provide the basis for exploring evolved regulatory differences in Adh expression during oogenesis and embryogenesis of Drosophila, which are until now unexplored. The potential of in situ hybridization in analyzing evolved regulatory differences in gene expression is briefly discussed.Key words: Drosophila, Adh, tissue-specific expression, interspecific variation, in situ hybridization.

scholarly journals Hormones and Sex-Specific Transcription Factors Jointly Control Yolk Protein Synthesis in Musca domestica

2009 ◽  
Vol 2009 ◽  
pp. 1-9 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christina Siegenthaler ◽  
Peter Maroy ◽  
Monika Hediger ◽  
Andreas Dübendorfer ◽  
Daniel Bopp
Keyword(s):  
Protein Synthesis ◽  
Drosophila Melanogaster ◽  
Transcription Factors ◽  
Musca Domestica ◽  
Fat Body ◽  
Yolk Protein ◽  
Yolk Proteins

In the housefly Musca domestica, synthesis of yolk proteins (YPs) depends on the level of circulating ecdysteroid hormones. In female houseflies, the ecdysterone concentration in the hemolymph oscillates and, at high levels, is followed by expression of YP. In male houseflies, the ecdysterone titre is constantly low and no YP is produced. In some strains, which are mutant in key components of the sex-determining pathway, males express YP even though their ecdysterone titre is not significantly elevated. However, we find that these males express a substantial amount of the female variant of the Musca doublesex homologue, Md-dsx. The dsx gene is known to sex-specifically control transcription of yp genes in the fat body of Drosophila melanogaster. Our data suggest that Md-dsx also contributes to the regulation of YP expression in the housefly by modulating the responsiveness of YP-producing cells to hormonal stimuli.

scholarly journals Definition of cis-acting elements regulating expression of the Drosophila melanogaster ninaE opsin gene by oligonucleotide-directed mutagenesis.

Genetics ◽  
1989 ◽  
Vol 121 (1) ◽  
pp. 77-87 ◽  
Author(s):  
D Mismer ◽  
G M Rubin
Keyword(s):  
Drosophila Melanogaster ◽  
The Body ◽  
Drosophila Virilis ◽  
P Element ◽  
Opsin Gene ◽  
Directed Mutagenesis ◽  
Homologous Gene ◽  
Regulatory Sequences ◽  
Specific Expression ◽  
Cis Acting

Abstract We have analyzed the cis-acting regulatory sequences of the Rh1 (ninaE) gene in Drosophila melanogaster by P-element-mediated germline transformation of indicator genes transcribed from mutant ninaE promoter sequences. We have previously shown that a 200-bp region extending from -120 to +67 relative to the transcription start site is sufficient to obtain eye-specific expression from the ninaE promoter. In the present study, 22 different 4-13-bp sequences in the -120/+67 promoter region were altered by oligonucleotide-directed mutagenesis. Several of these sequences were found to be required for proper promoter function; two of these are conserved in the promoter of the homologous gene isolated from the related species Drosophila virilis. Alteration of a conserved 9-bp sequence results in aberrant, low level expression in the body. Alteration of a separate 11-bp sequence, found in the promoter regions of several photoreceptor-specific genes of Drosophila, results in an approximately 15-fold reduction in promoter efficiency but without apparent alteration of tissue-specificity. A protein factor capable of interacting with this 11-bp sequence has been detected by DNaseI footprinting in embryonic nuclear extracts. Finally, we have further characterized two separable enhancer sequences previously shown to be required for normal levels of expression from this promoter.

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