title: X-MyT1, a Xenopus C2HC-type zinc finger protein with a regulatory function in neuronal differentiation.
abstract: X-MyT1 is a C2HC-type zinc finger protein that we find to be involved in the primary selection of neuronal precursor cells in Xenopus. Expression of this gene is positively regulated by the bHLH protein X-NGNR-1 and negatively regulated by the Notch/Delta signal transduction pathway. X-MyT1 is able to promote ectopic neuronal differentiation and to confer insensitivity to lateral inhibition, but only in cooperation with bHLH transcription factors. Inhibition of X-MyT1 function inhibits normal neurogenesis as well as ectopic neurogenesis caused by overexpression of X-NGNR-1. On the basis of these findings, we suggest that X-MyT1 is a novel, essential element in the cascade of events that allows cells to escape lateral inhibition and to enter the pathway that leads to terminal neuronal differentiation.
authors.affiliation: Institut für Biochemie und Molekulare Zellbiologie, Göttingen, Germany.
authors.forename: E J
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: Bellefroid
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Bourguignon
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Hollemann
authors.forename: Q
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Ma
authors.forename: D J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Anderson
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Kintner
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Pieler
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D051792:Basic Helix-Loop-Helix Proteins; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000502:physiology*; D004627:Embryonic Induction; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; D018257:Helix-Loop-Helix Motifs; D017403:In Situ Hybridization; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; D009420:Nervous System / Q000196:embryology; D009474:Neurons / Q000166:cytology*; D009479:Neuropeptides / Q000235:genetics; D015534:Trans-Activators; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000502:physiology*; D014404:Tubulin / Q000235:genetics; D029867:Xenopus Proteins; D014982:Xenopus laevis; D016335:Zinc Fingers
chemical_list: D051792:Basic Helix-Loop-Helix Proteins; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; D009479:Neuropeptides; D015534:Trans-Activators; D014157:Transcription Factors; D014404:Tubulin; D029867:Xenopus Proteins; C489725:Myt1 protein, Xenopus; C101907:neurogenin, Xenopus