title: glial cells missing: a genetic switch that controls glial versus neuronal fate.
abstract: The glial cells missing (gcm) gene in Drosophila encodes a novel nuclear protein that is transiently expressed early in the development of nearly all glia. In loss-of-function gcm mutant alleles, nearly all glia fail to differentiate, and, where we can follow them in the PNS, are transformed into neurons. In gain-if-function gcm conditions using transgenic constructs that drive ectopic gcm expression, many presumptive neurons are transformed into glia. Thus, gcm appears to function as a binary genetic switch for glia versus neurons. In the presence of gcm protein, presumptive neurons become glia, while in its absence, presumptive glia become neurons.
authors.affiliation: Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California, Berkeley 94720, USA.
authors.forename: B W
authors.initials: BW
authors.lastname: Jones
authors.forename: R D
authors.initials: RD
authors.lastname: Fetter
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Tear
authors.forename: C S
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Goodman
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000235:genetics; D002490:Central Nervous System / Q000196:embryology / Q000502:physiology; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D004330:Drosophila / Q000235:genetics*; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental / Q000502:physiology; D017344:Genes, Insect / Q000502:physiology*; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009154:Mutation / Q000502:physiology; D009457:Neuroglia / Q000166:cytology* / Q000502:physiology; D009474:Neurons / Q000166:cytology* / Q000502:physiology; D009687:Nuclear Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D017933:Peripheral Nervous System / Q000196:embryology / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D009687:Nuclear Proteins