The homeotic protein dlk is expressed during peripheral nerve development.
To investigate the molecular events controlling myelination of the peripheral nervous system, we compared gene expression of normal mouse sciatic nerves to that of the trembler mouse, whose Schwann cells are blocked in a pre-myelinating phenotype. Using cDNA array, we assessed expression levels of 1176 genes, and we found that delta-like protein (dlk), an epidermal growth factor-like homeotic protein, was expressed in the normal developing nerves, but at a low level in the dysmyelinating mutant trembler. Moreover, dlk expression was down-regulated when myelin protein expression was up-regulated, and no expression was observed in the developing brain. These results suggest that dlk expression is required for Schwann cell acquisition of the myelinating phenotype.
Costaglioli
P
P
Ecole Supérieure de Technologie des Biomolécules de Bordeaux, Université Victor Segalen Bordeaux 2, France.
Côme
C
C
Knoll-Gellida
A
A
Salles
J
J
Cassagne
C
C
Garbay
B
B
D000818:Animals; D015152:Blotting, Northern; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000235:genetics*; D020869:Gene Expression Profiling; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; D018398:Homeodomain Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D047908:Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D008818:Mice, Neurologic Mutants; D009154:Mutation / Q000235:genetics; D009185:Myelin Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D020411:Oligonucleotide Array Sequence Analysis; D010641:Phenotype; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D012583:Schwann Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism; D012584:Sciatic Nerve / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000378:metabolism*
D018398:Homeodomain Proteins; D047908:Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D009185:Myelin Proteins; C489545:Pmp22 protein, mouse; D012333:RNA, Messenger; C064045:delta protein