Expression of the D-MEF2 transcription in the Drosophila brain suggests a role in neuronal cell differentiation.
D-MEF2 is a MADS domain transcription factor expressed in the cardiac, somatic, and visceral muscle cell lineages in the Drosophila embryo. Genetic studies have demonstrated that D-mef2 gene function is required for the proper differentiation of all three of these muscle types. We show that D-MEF2 is also expressed in a limited number of other cells types during development, including Kenyon cells present in the mushroom bodies of the Drosophila brain. This finding suggests a role for D-mef2 in neuron differentiation. To investigate D-mef2 expression in muscle and Kenyon cells, we assayed 26 kb of D-mef2 5'-flanking and intragenic DNA for regulatory sequences controlling the expression of the gene. Our results show that separable enhancer sequences direct D-mef2 gene expression in the myogenic and neuronal cell lineages. The identification of these regulatory DNAs provides a starting point for the analysis of transcriptional regulators controlling the cell-specific expression of D-mef2 and a means to address the function of D-mef2 in Kenyon cell differentiation.
Schulz
R A
RA
Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Texas, MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston 77030, USA.
Chromey
C
C
Lu
M F
MF
Zhao
B
B
Olson
E N
EN
D000818:Animals; D030801:Animals, Genetically Modified / Q000235:genetics; D001921:Brain / Q000196:embryology / Q000378:metabolism*; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000235:genetics; D002467:Cell Nucleus / Q000502:physiology; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D004330:Drosophila / Q000196:embryology / Q000235:genetics*; D029721:Drosophila Proteins; D004742:Enhancer Elements, Genetic; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; D007814:Larva / Q000235:genetics; D064326:MEF2 Transcription Factors; D009132:Muscles / Q000166:cytology / Q000196:embryology; D009154:Mutation; D018006:Myogenic Regulatory Factors; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000235:genetics*; D001616:beta-Galactosidase / Q000235:genetics
D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D029721:Drosophila Proteins; D064326:MEF2 Transcription Factors; C499409:Mef2 protein, Drosophila; D018006:Myogenic Regulatory Factors; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D014157:Transcription Factors; D001616:beta-Galactosidase