Xath5 participates in a network of bHLH genes in the developing Xenopus retina.
We examined the function of basic-helix-loop-helix (bHLH) transcription factors during retinal neurogenesis. We identified Xath5, a Xenopus bHLH gene related to Drosophila atonal, which is expressed in the developing Xenopus retina. Targeted expression of Xath5 in retinal progenitor cells biased the differentiation of these cells toward a ganglion cell fate, suggesting that Xath5 can regulate the differentiation of retinal neurons. We examined the relationship between the three bHLH genes Xash3, NeuroD, and Xath5 during retinal neurogenesis and found that Xash3 is expressed in early retinoblasts, followed by coexpression of Xath5 and NeuroD in differentiating cells. We provide evidence that the expression of Xash3, NeuroD, and Xath5 is coupled and propose that these bHLH genes regulate successive stages of neuronal differentiation in the developing retina.
Kanekar
S
S
Department of Neurobiology and Anatomy, University of Utah, Salt Lake City 84132, USA.
Perron
M
M
Dorsky
R
R
Harris
W A
WA
Jan
L Y
LY
Jan
Y N
YN
Vetter
M L
ML
D000375:Aging / Q000502:physiology*; D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D051792:Basic Helix-Loop-Helix Proteins; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000502:physiology; D002460:Cell Line; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D004330:Drosophila / Q000235:genetics; D029721:Drosophila Proteins; D005136:Eye Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D015870:Gene Expression / Q000502:physiology; D018390:Gene Targeting; D018257:Helix-Loop-Helix Motifs / Q000235:genetics*; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D009474:Neurons / Q000166:cytology; D012160:Retina / Q000166:cytology / Q000254:growth & development / Q000502:physiology*; D012165:Retinal Ganglion Cells / Q000166:cytology; D017386:Sequence Homology, Amino Acid; D013234:Stem Cells / Q000502:physiology; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000235:genetics*; D014981:Xenopus / Q000235:genetics* / Q000254:growth & development*; D029867:Xenopus Proteins
D051792:Basic Helix-Loop-Helix Proteins; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D029721:Drosophila Proteins; D005136:Eye Proteins; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; D014157:Transcription Factors; D029867:Xenopus Proteins; C109417:ASCL2 protein, Xenopus; C109416:ATOH7 protein, Xenopus; C491279:NEUROD4 protein, Xenopus; C082142:ato protein, Drosophila; C093564:Neurogenic differentiation factor 1