title: The Drosophila 63F early puff contains E63-1, an ecdysone-inducible gene that encodes a novel Ca(2+)-binding protein.
abstract: Pulses of ecdysone at the end of Drosophila larval development dramatically reprogram gene expression as they signal the onset of metamorphosis. Ecdysone directly induces several early puffs in the salivary gland polytene chromosomes that, in turn, activate many late puffs. Three early puffs, at 2B5, 74EF, and 75B, have been studied at the molecular level. Each contains a single ecdysone primary-response gene that encodes a family of widely expressed transcription factors. We report here a molecular characterization of the 63F early puff. Unexpectedly, we have found this locus to be significantly different from the previously characterized early puff loci. First, the 63F puff contains a pair of ecdysone-inducible genes that are transcribed in the larval salivary glands: E63-1 and E63-2. Second, E63-1 induction in late third instar larvae appears to be highly tissue-specific, restricted to the salivary gland. Third, E63-1 encodes a novel Ca(2+)-binding protein related to calmodulin. The discovery of an ecdysone-inducible Ca(2+)-binding protein provides a foundation for integrating steroid hormone and calcium second messenger signaling pathways and generates an additional level for potential regulation of the ecdysone response.
authors.affiliation: Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Department of Human Genetics, Eccles Institute of Human Genetics, University of Utah, Salt Lake City 84112, USA.
authors.forename: A J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Andres
authors.forename: C S
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Thummel
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D015152:Blotting, Northern; D002135:Calcium-Binding Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D017931:DNA Primers / Q000235:genetics; D004330:Drosophila / Q000235:genetics*; D029721:Drosophila Proteins; D004440:Ecdysone / Q000502:physiology*; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; D017344:Genes, Insect; D017403:In Situ Hybridization; D008675:Metamorphosis, Biological; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D011506:Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D012469:Salivary Glands / Q000378:metabolism / Q000648:ultrastructure; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D002135:Calcium-Binding Proteins; D017931:DNA Primers; D029721:Drosophila Proteins; C095576:Eip63F-1 protein, Drosophila; D011506:Proteins; C095577:ecdysone-induced protein 63F-2, Drosophila; D004440:Ecdysone