title: The proneural gene amos promotes multiple dendritic neuron formation in the Drosophila peripheral nervous system.
abstract: In the Drosophila peripheral nervous system, proneural genes direct the formation of different types of sensory organs. Here, we show that amos is a novel proneural gene that promotes multiple dendritic (MD) neuron formation. amos encodes a basic-helix-loop-helix (bHLH) protein of the Atonal family. During embryonic development, amos is expressed in patches of ectodermal cells, and the expression is quickly restricted to sensory organ precursors. Loss of amos function eliminates MD neurons that remain in ASC;atonal mutants. Misexpression of amos generates ectopic MD and other types of neurons. Amos interacts with the ubiquitously expressed Daughter-less protein in vivo and in vitro. Our final misexpression experiments suggest that a domain located outside the DNA-binding domain of Amos determines the MD neuronal specificity.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Neuroscience, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors.forename: M L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: C H
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Hsu
authors.forename: C T
authors.initials: CT
authors.lastname: Chien
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D051792:Basic Helix-Loop-Helix Proteins; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000235:genetics; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D003712:Dendrites / Q000737:chemistry / Q000502:physiology*; D004330:Drosophila / Q000737:chemistry / Q000254:growth & development / Q000502:physiology*; D029721:Drosophila Proteins; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; D018257:Helix-Loop-Helix Motifs / Q000235:genetics; D019476:Insect Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D008845:Microinjections; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D016296:Mutagenesis / Q000502:physiology; D009414:Nerve Growth Factors / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; D009475:Neurons, Afferent / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D009687:Nuclear Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D017933:Peripheral Nervous System / Q000737:chemistry / Q000166:cytology / Q000254:growth & development; D010641:Phenotype; D012330:RNA, Double-Stranded / Q000494:pharmacology; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000032:analysis; D017386:Sequence Homology, Amino Acid; D013234:Stem Cells / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000378:metabolism; D020798:Two-Hybrid System Techniques
chemical_list: D051792:Basic Helix-Loop-Helix Proteins; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D029721:Drosophila Proteins; D019476:Insect Proteins; D009414:Nerve Growth Factors; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; D009687:Nuclear Proteins; D012330:RNA, Double-Stranded; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D014157:Transcription Factors; C405512:Amos protein, Drosophila; C090080:Da protein, Drosophila; C082142:ato protein, Drosophila