scholarly journals A feed-forward relay between Bicoid and Orthodenticle regulates the timing of embryonic patterning in Drosophila

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rhea R. Datta ◽  
Jia Ling ◽  
Jesse Kurland ◽  
Xiaotong Ren ◽  
Zhe Xu ◽  
...  

AbstractThe K50 homeodomain (K50HD) protein Orthodenticle (Otd) is critical for anterior patterning and brain and eye development in most metazoans. In Drosophila melanogaster, another K50HD protein, Bicoid (Bcd), has evolved to replace Otd’s ancestral function in embryo patterning. Bcd is distributed as a long-range maternal gradient and activates transcription of a large number of target genes including otd. Otd and Bcd bind similar DNA sequences in vitro, but how their transcriptional activities are integrated to pattern anterior regions of the embryo is unknown. Here we define three major classes of enhancers that are differentially sensitive to binding and transcriptional activation by Bcd and Otd. Class 1 enhancers are initially activated by Bcd, and activation is transferred to Otd via a feed-forward relay (FFR) that involves sequential binding of the two proteins to the same DNA motif. Class 2 enhancers are activated by Bcd, and maintained by an Otd-independent mechanism. Class 3 enhancers are never bound by Bcd, but Otd binds and activates them in a second wave of zygotic transcription. The specific activities of enhancers in each class are mediated by DNA motif variants preferentially bound by Bcd or Otd, and the presence or absence of sites for cofactors that interact with these proteins. Our results define specific patterning roles for Bcd and Otd, and provide mechanisms for coordinating the precise timing of gene expression patterns during embryonic development.

Development ◽  
1992 ◽  
Vol 116 (3) ◽  
pp. 783-797 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. Cereghini ◽  
M.O. Ott ◽  
S. Power ◽  
M. Maury

The homeoproteins HNF1 (LFB1/HNF1-A) and vHNF1 (LFB3/HNF1 beta) interact with an essential control element of a group of liver-specific genes. During development, these putative target genes are initially expressed in the visceral endoderm of the yolk sac and subsequently in fetal liver. To assess the possible involvement of HNF1 and/or vHNF1 as transcriptional regulators in the early steps of visceral endoderm differentiation, we have analyzed the expression pattern of both factors both in vitro during differentiation of murine F9 embryonal carcinoma cells and in vivo during early postimplantation mouse development. We show here that differentiation of F9 cells into either visceral or parietal endoderm is accompanied by a sharp induction in vHNF1 mRNA and protein. By contrast, only low levels of aberrantly sized HNF1 transcripts, but not DNA-binding protein, are found in F9 cells and its differentiated derivatives. At 6–7.5 days of gestation, high levels of vHNF1 mRNA are present in the visceral extraembryonic endoderm, which co-localize with transcripts of the transthyretin gene. HNF1 transcripts are first detected in the yolk sac roughly two embryonic days later, after the developmental onset of transcription of target genes. As development proceeds, discrepancies are observed between the level of transcripts of both vHNF1 and HNF1 and their respective nuclear binding proteins, notably in the yolk sac and embryonic kidney. In addition, we show that two alternative spliced isoforms of vHNF1 mRNA, vHNF-A and vHNF1-B, are expressed in both embryonic and adult tissues. Taken together, these data suggest that vHNF1 participates as a regulatory factor in the initial transcriptional activation of the target genes in the visceral endoderm of the yolk sac, whereas the later appearance of HNF1 could be required for maintenance of their expression. Our results also provide evidence of a posttranscriptional level of control of vHNF1 and HNF1 gene expression during development, in addition to the spatial restriction in transcription.


2021 ◽  
Vol 20 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Junjie Cen ◽  
Yanping Liang ◽  
Yong Huang ◽  
Yihui Pan ◽  
Guannan Shu ◽  
...  

Abstract Background There is increasing evidence that circular RNAs (circRNAs) have significant regulatory roles in cancer development and progression; however, the expression patterns and biological functions of circRNAs in renal cell carcinoma (RCC) remain largely elusive. Method Bioinformatics methods were applied to screen for circRNAs differentially expressed in RCC. Analysis of online circRNAs microarray datasets and our own patient cohort indicated that circSDHC (hsa_circ_0015004) had a potential oncogenic role in RCC. Subsequently, circSDHC expression was measured in RCC tissues and cell lines by qPCR assay, and the prognostic value of circSDHC evaluated. Further, a series of functional in vitro and in vivo experiments were conducted to assess the effects of circSDHC on RCC proliferation and metastasis. RNA pull-down assay, luciferase reporter and fluorescent in situ hybridization assays were used to confirm the interactions between circSDHC, miR-127-3p and its target genes. Results Clinically, high circSDHC expression was correlated with advanced TNM stage and poor survival in patients with RCC. Further, circSDHC promoted tumor cell proliferation and invasion, both in vivo and in vitro. Analysis of the mechanism underlying the effects of circSDHC in RCC demonstrated that it binds competitively to miR-127-3p and prevents its suppression of a downstream gene, CDKN3, and the E2F1 pathway, thereby leading to RCC malignant progression. Furthermore, knockdown of circSDHC caused decreased CDKN3 expression and E2F1 pathway inhibition, which could be rescued by treatment with an miR-127-3p inhibitor. Conclusion Our data indicates, for the first time, an essential role for the circSDHC/miR-127-3p/CDKN3/E2F1 axis in RCC progression. Thus, circSDHC has potential to be a new therapeutic target in patients with RCC.


1999 ◽  
Vol 23 (2) ◽  
pp. 125-136 ◽  
Author(s):  
C Bignon ◽  
N Daniel ◽  
L Belair ◽  
J Djiane

The recent finding that sheep had long (l-oPRLR) and short (s-oPRLR) prolactin receptors provided new tools to further explore prolactin signaling to target genes. Here we used CHO cells transfected with l-oPRLR or s-oPRLR cDNAs to compare the activation of known key steps of prolactin signaling by the two receptors. We found that prolactin stimulated l-oPRLR tyrosine phosphorylation, although it lacked the last tyrosine residue found in other long prolactin receptors. In addition, l-oPRLR and s-oPRLR both responded to prolactin stimulation by (1) Janus kinase 2 (Jak2) tyrosine phosphorylation, (2) DNA-binding activation of signal transducer and activator of transcription 5 (STAT5), (3) stimulation of transcription from a promoter made of six repeats of STAT5-responsive sequence. However, although it contains STAT5-binding consensus sequences, the ovine beta-lactoglobulin promoter (-4000 to +40) was transactivated by l-oPRLR, but not by s-oPRLR. Taken together, our results indicate that activation of Jak2/STAT5 pathway alone is not sufficient to account for prolactin-induced transcription of this milk protein gene, and that sequences of its promoter, other than STAT5-specific sequences, account for the opposite transcriptional activation capabilities of l-oPRLR and s-oPRLR.


Genes ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (2) ◽  
pp. 277
Author(s):  
Paola Monti ◽  
Vaclav Brazda ◽  
Natália Bohálová ◽  
Otília Porubiaková ◽  
Paola Menichini ◽  
...  

P53, P63, and P73 proteins belong to the P53 family of transcription factors, sharing a common gene organization that, from the P1 and P2 promoters, produces two groups of mRNAs encoding proteins with different N-terminal regions; moreover, alternative splicing events at C-terminus further contribute to the generation of multiple isoforms. P53 family proteins can influence a plethora of cellular pathways mainly through the direct binding to specific DNA sequences known as response elements (REs), and the transactivation of the corresponding target genes. However, the transcriptional activation by P53 family members can be regulated at multiple levels, including the DNA topology at responsive promoters. Here, by using a yeast-based functional assay, we evaluated the influence that a G-quadruplex (G4) prone sequence adjacent to the p53 RE derived from the apoptotic PUMA target gene can exert on the transactivation potential of full-length and N-terminal truncated P53 family α isoforms (wild-type and mutant). Our results show that the presence of a G4 prone sequence upstream or downstream of the P53 RE leads to significant changes in the relative activity of P53 family proteins, emphasizing the potential role of structural DNA features as modifiers of P53 family functions at target promoter sites.


Development ◽  
1995 ◽  
Vol 121 (9) ◽  
pp. 2799-2812 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. McCormick ◽  
N. Core ◽  
S. Kerridge ◽  
M.P. Scott

Along the anterior-posterior axis of animal embryos, the choice of cell fates, and the organization of morphogenesis, is regulated by transcription factors encoded by clustered homeotic or ‘Hox’ genes. Hox genes function in both epidermis and internal tissues by regulating the transcription of target genes in a position- and tissue-specific manner. Hox proteins can have distinct targets in different tissues; the mechanisms underlying tissue and homeotic protein specificity are unknown. Light may be shed by studying the organization of target gene enhancers. In flies, one of the target genes is teashirt (tsh), which encodes a zinc finger protein. tsh itself is a homeotic gene that controls trunk versus head development. We identified a tsh gene enhancer that is differentially activated by Hox proteins in epidermis and mesoderm. Sites where Antennapedia (Antp) and Ultrabithorax (Ubx) proteins bind in vitro were mapped within evolutionarily conserved sequences. Although Antp and Ubx bind to identical sites in vitro, Antp activates the tsh enhancer only in epidermis while Ubx activates the tsh enhancer in both epidermis and in somatic mesoderm. We show that the DNA elements driving tissue-specific transcriptional activation by Antp and Ubx are separable. Next to the homeotic protein-binding sites are extensive conserved sequences likely to control tissue activation by different homeodomain proteins. We propose that local interactions between homeotic proteins and other factors effect activation of targets in proper cell types.


2018 ◽  
Vol 19 (10) ◽  
pp. 3153 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. Muñoz-Bello ◽  
Leslie Olmedo-Nieva ◽  
Leonardo Castro-Muñoz ◽  
Joaquín Manzo-Merino ◽  
Adriana Contreras-Paredes ◽  
...  

The Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway regulates cell proliferation and differentiation and its aberrant activation in cervical cancer has been described. Persistent infection with high risk human papillomavirus (HR-HPV) is the most important factor for the development of this neoplasia, since E6 and E7 viral oncoproteins alter cellular processes, promoting cervical cancer development. A role of HPV-16 E6 in Wnt/β-catenin signaling has been proposed, although the participation of HPV-18 E6 has not been previously studied. The aim of this work was to investigate the participation of HPV-18 E6 and E6*I, in the regulation of the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway. Here, we show that E6 proteins up-regulate TCF-4 transcriptional activity and promote overexpression of Wnt target genes. In addition, it was demonstrated that E6 and E6*I bind to the TCF-4 (T cell factor 4) and β-catenin, impacting TCF-4 stabilization. We found that both E6 and E6*I proteins interact with the promoter of Sp5, in vitro and in vivo. Moreover, although differences in TCF-4 transcriptional activation were found among E6 intratype variants, no changes were observed in the levels of regulated genes. Furthermore, our data support that E6 proteins cooperate with β-catenin to promote cell proliferation.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wenpeng Zhu ◽  
Manyu Zhang ◽  
Jianyi Li ◽  
Hewen Zhao ◽  
Kezhong Zhang ◽  
...  

Abstract BackgroundAcer rubrum L. is a colorful ornamental tree with great economic value. Because this tree is difficult to root under natural conditions and the seedling survival rate is low, vegetative propagation methods are often used. Because the formation of adventitious roots (ARs) is essential for the survival of asexual propagation of A. rubrum, it is necessary to investigate the molecular regulatory mechanisms in the formation of ARs of A. ruburm. To address this knowledge gap, we sequenced the transcriptome and sRNA of the A. rubrum variety ‘Autumn Fantasy’ using high-throughput sequencing and explored changes in gene and microRNA (miRNA) expression in response to exogenous auxin treatment. ResultsWe identified 82,468 differentially expressed genes between the treated and untreated ARs, as well as 48 known and 95 novel miRNAs. We also identified 172 target genes of the known miRNAs using degradome sequencing. Two regulatory pathways (ubiquitin mediated proteolysis and plant hormone signal transduction), Ar-miR160a and the target gene ArARF10 were shown to be involved in the auxin response. We further investigated the expression patterns and regulatory roles of ArARF10 through subcellular localization, transcriptional activation, plant transformation, qRT-PCR analysis, and GUS staining. ConclusionsDifferential expression patterns indicated the Ar-miR160a-ArARF10 interaction might play a significant role in the regulation of AR formation in A. rubrum. Our study provided new insights into mechanisms underlying the regulation of AR formation in A. rubrum.


2012 ◽  
Vol 111 (suppl_1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Claudia Noack ◽  
Maria P Zafiriou ◽  
Anke Renger ◽  
Hans J Schaeffer ◽  
Martin W Bergmann ◽  
...  

Wnt/β-catenin signaling controls adult heart remodeling partly by regulating cardiac progenitor cell (CPC) differentiation. We now identified and characterized a novel cardiac interaction of the transcription factor Krueppel-like factor 15 (KLF15) with the Wnt/β-catenin signaling on adult CPCs. In vitro mutation, reporter gene assays and co-localization studies revealed that KLF15 requires two distinct domains for nuclear localization and for repression of β-catenin-mediated transcription. KLF15 had no effect on β-catenin stability or cellular localization, but interacted with its co-factor TCF4, which is required for activation of β-catenin target gene expression. Moreover, increased TCF4 ubiquitination was induced by KLF15. In line with this finding we found KLF15 to interact with the Nemo-like kinase, which was shown to phosphorylate and target TCF4 for degradation. In vivo analyses of adult Klf15 functional knock-out (KO) vs. wild-type (WT) mice showed a cardiac β-catenin-mediated transcriptional activation and reduced TCF4 degradation along with cardiac dysfunction assessed by echocardiography (n=10). FACS analysis of the CPC enriched-population of KO vs. WT mice revealed a significant reduction of cardiogenic-committed precursors identified as Sca1+/αMHC+ (0.8±0.2% vs. 1.8±0.1%) and Tbx5+ (3.5±0.3% vs. 5.2±0.5%). In contrast, endothelial Sca1+/CD31+ cells were significantly higher in KO mice (11.3±0.4% vs. 8.6±0.4%; n≥9). In addition, Sca1+ isolated cells of Klf15 KO showed increased RNA expression of endothelial markers von Willebrand Factor, CD105, and Flk1 along with upregulation of β-catenin target genes. CPCs co-cultured on adult fibroblasts resulted in increased endothelial Flk1 cells and reduction of αMHC and Hand1 cardiogenic cells in KO vs. WT CPCs (n=9). Treating these co-cultures with Quercetin, an inhibitor of nuclear β-catenin, resulted in partial rescue of the observed phenotype. This study uncovers a critical role of KLF15 for the maintenance of cardiac tissue homeostasis. Via inhibition of β-catenin transcription, KLF15 controls cardiomyogenic cell fate similar to embryonic cardiogenesis. This knowledge may provide a tool for activation of endogenous CPCs in the postnatal heart.


2000 ◽  
Vol 20 (5) ◽  
pp. 1616-1625 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yang Chen ◽  
R. H. Goodman ◽  
Sarah M. Smolik

ABSTRACT CREB-binding protein (CBP) serves as a transcriptional coactivator in multiple signal transduction pathways. The Drosophilahomologue of CBP, dCBP, interacts with the transcription factors Cubitus interruptus (CI), MAD, and Dorsal (DL) and functions as a coactivator in several signaling pathways during Drosophiladevelopment, including the hedgehog (hh),decapentaplegic (dpp), and Tollpathways. Although dCBP is required for the expression of thehh target genes, wingless (wg) andpatched (ptc) in vivo, and potentiatesci-mediated transcriptional activation in vitro, it is not known that ci absolutely requires dCBP for its activity. We used a yeast genetic screen to identify several ci point mutations that disrupt CI-dCBP interactions. These mutant proteins are unable to transactivate a reporter gene regulated by cibinding sites and have a lower dCBP-stimulated activity than wild-type CI. When expressed exogenously in embryos, the CI point mutants cannot activate endogenous wg expression. Furthermore, a CI mutant protein that lacks the entire dCBP interaction domain functions as a negative competitor for wild-type CI activity, and the expression of dCBP antisense RNAs can suppress CI transactivation in Kc cells. Taken together, our data suggest that dCBP function is necessary forci-mediated transactivation of wg duringDrosophila embryogenesis.


2005 ◽  
Vol 25 (9) ◽  
pp. 3461-3474 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hongfang Qiu ◽  
Cuihua Hu ◽  
Fan Zhang ◽  
Gwo Jiunn Hwang ◽  
Mark J. Swanson ◽  
...  

ABSTRACT Transcriptional activation by Gcn4p is enhanced by the coactivators SWI/SNF, SAGA, and Srb mediator, which stimulate recruitment of TATA binding protein (TBP) and polymerase II to target promoters. We show that wild-type recruitment of SAGA by Gcn4p is dependent on mediator but independent of SWI/SNF function at three different promoters. Recruitment of mediator is also independent of SWI/SNF but is enhanced by SAGA at a subset of Gcn4p target genes. Recruitment of all three coactivators to ARG1 is independent of the TATA element and preinitiation complex formation, whereas efficient recruitment of the general transcription factors requires the TATA box. We propose an activation pathway involving interdependent recruitment of SAGA and Srb mediator to the upstream activation sequence, enabling SWI/SNF recruitment and the binding of TBP and other general factors to the promoter. We also found that high-level recruitment of Tra1p and other SAGA subunits is independent of the Ada2p/Ada3p/Gcn5p histone acetyltransferase module but requires Spt3p in addition to subunits required for SAGA integrity. Thus, while Tra1p can bind directly to Gcn4p in vitro, it requires other SAGA subunits for efficient recruitment in vivo.


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