title: Sex-specific transcriptional regulation by the male and female doublesex proteins of Drosophila.
abstract: The somatic sexual phenotype of Drosophila is regulated by the sexual differentiation pathway. Male (DSXM) and female (DSXF) proteins encoded by doublesex (dsx), a gene at the end of this pathway, bind to three sites within a 127-bp enhancer that directs sex- and tissue-specific transcription of Yolk protein genes. We describe mutagenesis of these binding sites and the resulting effects on DSXM and DSXF binding in vitro and on gene regulation in wild-type and dsx mutant flies. The results demonstrate that DSXM represses and DSXF activates transcription from the two strongest binding sites. Thus, the pathway regulates sex-specific transcription through the male and female dsx proteins that act directly on the target gene, but with opposite effects.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, Brandeis University, Waltham Massachusetts 02254-9110.
authors.forename: K T
authors.initials: KT
authors.lastname: Coschigano
authors.forename: P C
authors.initials: PC
authors.lastname: Wensink
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D004247:DNA; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D004330:Drosophila / Q000235:genetics*; D029721:Drosophila Proteins; D004742:Enhancer Elements, Genetic; D005216:Fat Body / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D007301:Insect Hormones / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D011485:Protein Binding; D012733:Sex Differentiation / Q000235:genetics*; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000378:metabolism*; D014158:Transcription, Genetic
chemical_list: D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; C070369:DSX protein, Drosophila; D029721:Drosophila Proteins; D007301:Insect Hormones; D014157:Transcription Factors; D004247:DNA