TY - JOUR
T1 - Senseless functions as a molecular switch for color photoreceptor differentiation in Drosophila
AU - Xie, Baotong
AU - Charlton-Perkins, Mark
AU - McDonald, Elizabeth
AU - Gebelein, Brian
AU - Cook, Tiffany
PY - 2007/12
Y1 - 2007/12
N2 - A major question in development is how different specialized cell types arise from a common progenitor. In the adult Drosophila compound eye, color discrimination is achieved by UV-, blue- and green-sensitive photoreceptors (PRs). These different PR subsets arise from neuronal precursors called R7 and R8 cells. Recent studies have demonstrated that R7-based UV-sensitive PRs require the repression of R8-based blue/ green-sensitive PR characteristics to properly develop. This repression is mediated by the transcription factor Prospero, (Pros). Here, we report that Senseless (Sens), a Drosophila ortholog of the vertebrate Gfi1 transcription factor, plays an opposing role to Pros by both negatively regulating R7-based features and positively enforcing R8-based features during terminal differentiation. In addition, we demonstrate that Pros and Sens function together with the transcription factor Orthodenticle (Otd) to oppositely regulate R7 and R8 PR Rhodopsin gene expression in vitro. These data show that sens, previously shown to be essential for neuronal specification, also controls differentiation of specific neuronal subtypes in the retina. Interestingly, Pros has recently been shown to function as a tumor suppressor, whereas Gfi1 is a well-characterized oncogene. Thus, we propose that sens/pros antagonism is important for regulating many biological processes.
AB - A major question in development is how different specialized cell types arise from a common progenitor. In the adult Drosophila compound eye, color discrimination is achieved by UV-, blue- and green-sensitive photoreceptors (PRs). These different PR subsets arise from neuronal precursors called R7 and R8 cells. Recent studies have demonstrated that R7-based UV-sensitive PRs require the repression of R8-based blue/ green-sensitive PR characteristics to properly develop. This repression is mediated by the transcription factor Prospero, (Pros). Here, we report that Senseless (Sens), a Drosophila ortholog of the vertebrate Gfi1 transcription factor, plays an opposing role to Pros by both negatively regulating R7-based features and positively enforcing R8-based features during terminal differentiation. In addition, we demonstrate that Pros and Sens function together with the transcription factor Orthodenticle (Otd) to oppositely regulate R7 and R8 PR Rhodopsin gene expression in vitro. These data show that sens, previously shown to be essential for neuronal specification, also controls differentiation of specific neuronal subtypes in the retina. Interestingly, Pros has recently been shown to function as a tumor suppressor, whereas Gfi1 is a well-characterized oncogene. Thus, we propose that sens/pros antagonism is important for regulating many biological processes.
KW - Cell-specific gene expression
KW - Gfi1
KW - Opsin
KW - Otx2
KW - Photoreceptor cell
KW - Prox1
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UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=38349011091&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1242/dev.012781
DO - 10.1242/dev.012781
M3 - Article
C2 - 17978002
AN - SCOPUS:38349011091
VL - 134
SP - 4243
EP - 4253
JO - Journal of Embryology and Experimental Morphology
JF - Journal of Embryology and Experimental Morphology
SN - 0950-1991
IS - 23
ER -