Inducible RNA interference uncovers the Drosophila protein Bx42 as an essential nuclear cofactor involved in Notch signal transduction.
We used the UAS/GAL4 two component system to induce mRNA interference (mRNAi) during Drosophila development. In the adult eye the expression from white transgenes or the resident white locus is significantly repressed by the induction of UAS-wRNAi using different GAL4 expressing strains. By induced RNAi we demonstrate that the conserved nuclear protein Bx42 is essential for the development of many tissues. Phenotypically the effects of Bx42 RNAi resemble those obtained for certain classes of Notch mutants, pointing to an involvement of Bx42 in the Notch signal transduction pathway. The wing phenotype following overexpression of Suppressor of Hairless is strongly enhanced by simultaneous Bx42 RNAi induction in the same tissue. Target genes of Notch signaling like cut and Enhancer of split m8 were suppressed by induction of Bx42 RNAi. Our results demonstrate that inducible RNAi is a powerful tool to study the role of essential genes throughout development.
Department for Cytogenetics, Institute of Biology, Humboldt Universitaet Berlin, Chausseestrasse 117, D-10115 Berlin, Germany. dereje.negeri@biologie.hu-berlin.de
Dereje
D
Negeri
Harald
H
Eggert
Renate
R
Gienapp
Harald
H
Saumweber
D018528:ATP-Binding Cassette Transporters; D000818:Animals; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D004330:Drosophila / Q000235:genetics* / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism*; D029721:Drosophila Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism*; D005123:Eye / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism; D005136:Eye Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; D017344:Genes, Insect; D008297:Male; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism*; D009687:Nuclear Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism*; D034622:RNA Interference; D051880:Receptors, Notch; D015398:Signal Transduction; D014921:Wings, Animal / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism
D018528:ATP-Binding Cassette Transporters; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D029721:Drosophila Proteins; D005136:Eye Proteins; D008565:Membrane Proteins; C497759:N protein, Drosophila; D009687:Nuclear Proteins; D051880:Receptors, Notch; C059254:w protein, Drosophila; C077753:Bx42 protein, Drosophila