hamlet, a binary genetic switch between single- and multiple- dendrite neuron morphology.
The dendritic morphology of neurons determines the number and type of inputs they receive. In the Drosophila peripheral nervous system (PNS), the external sensory (ES) neurons have a single nonbranched dendrite, whereas the lineally related multidendritic (MD) neurons have extensively branched dendritic arbors. We report that hamlet is a binary genetic switch between these contrasting morphological types. In hamlet mutants, ES neurons are converted to an MD fate, whereas ectopic hamlet expression in MD precursors results in transformation of MD neurons into ES neurons. Moreover, hamlet expression induced in MD neurons undergoing dendrite outgrowth drastically reduces arbor branching.
Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Department of Physiology, University of California, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA.
Adrian W
AW
Moore
Lily Yeh
LY
Jan
Yuh Nung
YN
Jan
D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D019070:Cell Lineage; D002999:Clone Cells; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology*; D003712:Dendrites / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D004330:Drosophila / Q000196:embryology* / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D029721:Drosophila Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology*; D015870:Gene Expression; D005816:Genetic Complementation Test; D008938:Mitosis; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009024:Morphogenesis; D009154:Mutation; D009474:Neurons / Q000502:physiology / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D009475:Neurons, Afferent / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D009687:Nuclear Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology*; D017933:Peripheral Nervous System / Q000166:cytology / Q000196:embryology; D012330:RNA, Double-Stranded / Q000235:genetics; D012679:Sense Organs / Q000196:embryology; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology*
D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D029721:Drosophila Proteins; C464822:HAM protein, Drosophila; D009687:Nuclear Proteins; D012330:RNA, Double-Stranded; D014157:Transcription Factors