title: Genomic regions regulating early embryonic expression of the Drosophila neurogenic gene Delta.
abstract: To identify genomic regions required for transcriptional regulation of Delta during early embryogenesis, constructs carrying promoter and gene fusions to the lacZ gene were used for germ line transformation. Most cis-regulatory sequences are dispersed throughout 6.6 kb of genomic DNA, 5' of the transcription start site; the first intron contains an enhancer element that increases the amount of RNA produced in several organs. A region was defined which drives Delta-lacZ RNA expression in clusters of neuroectodermal cells preceding and during SI neuroblast segregation. This pattern is regulated by genes of the AS-C (achaete-scute complex). To identify regulatory regions necessary for normal function of Delta during neural-epidermal lineage segregation, five minigenes consisting of fragments of the 5' genomic DNA fused to a cDNA encoding the entire protein sequence were tested for their ability to rescue the neural hyperplasia caused by a deletion of the Delta locus. Regulatory sequences required for this function are differentially distributed throughout 9 kb of genomic DNA upstream of the transcription start site. The possible significance of these findings with respect to the function of Delta during lineage segregation is discussed.
authors.affiliation: Institut für Entwickhungsbiologie, Universität zu Köln, Germany.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Haenlin
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kunisch
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Kramatschek
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Campos-Ortega
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D018076:DNA, Complementary / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics; D004330:Drosophila / Q000196:embryology; D004475:Ectoderm / Q000737:chemistry; D005314:Embryonic and Fetal Development / Q000235:genetics*; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; D017344:Genes, Insect; D007301:Insect Hormones / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics*; D047908:Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics*; D014158:Transcription, Genetic
chemical_list: D018076:DNA, Complementary; D007301:Insect Hormones; D047908:Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; D008565:Membrane Proteins; C064045:delta protein