Functional analysis of Drosophila and mammalian cut proteins in files.
The cut locus acts as a bimodal switch controlling cell fate in the peripheral nervous system of Drosophila and is also required for the development of the wing margin. It encodes a protein, Cut, that contains an atypical homeodomain and three copies of a new motif which can bind DNA in vitro. The human protein CDP and the murine protein Cux have recently been isolated as DNA-binding activities and they are structurally related to Cut. We show that ectopic expression of Cut, CDP, or Cux similarly affects embryonic sensory organ development and can rescue a wing scalloping mutant phenotype associated with loss of cut expression along the prospective wing margins. This suggests that the function of Cut is evolutionarily conserved.
Ludlow
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Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, Washington 98104, USA.
Choy
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Blochlinger
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D000818:Animals; D030801:Animals, Genetically Modified; D004330:Drosophila / Q000196:embryology*; D005260:Female; D015870:Gene Expression; D018398:Homeodomain Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D007814:Larva; D008297:Male; D008322:Mammals; D051379:Mice; D009154:Mutation; D009475:Neurons, Afferent; D009687:Nuclear Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D017933:Peripheral Nervous System / Q000196:embryology / Q000254:growth & development; D010641:Phenotype; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins; D012097:Repressor Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D013696:Temperature; D014157:Transcription Factors; D014921:Wings, Animal / Q000254:growth & development
C080632:CUX1 protein, human; C000624101:Cux1 protein, mouse; D018398:Homeodomain Proteins; D009687:Nuclear Proteins; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins; D012097:Repressor Proteins; D014157:Transcription Factors