title: Spatio-temporal expression of Drosophila mitochondrial transcription factor A during development.
abstract: We previously reported cloning of the Drosophila mitochondrial transcription factor A (D-mtTFA) gene, and characterization of a recombinant protein. In this report, the expression and distribution patterns of D-mtTFA during development are described. D-mtTFA mRNA and its protein product were found to be abundant in cells of tissues undergoing both proliferation and polytenization. Furthermore, a DRE-like sequence present in the D-mtTFA gene showed promotor activity in Drosophila Kc cells. In addition, D-mtTFA was detected in brain throughout the developmental process, as well as in non-proliferating tissues, such as flight muscle and cardia, and was also found in spermatids of imagos. D-mtTFA possesses a nuclear-targeting sequence, and is present in the nucleus at the syncytial stage, where bundles of 64 spermatids are present during spermatogenesis. The results suggest that D-mtTFA not only contributes to the mitochondrial DNA transcription and replication system, but also has a role in cell proliferation and development, including spermatogenesis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Applied Biological Science, Faculty of Science and Technology, Tokyo University of Science, 2641 Yamazaki, Noda-shi, Chiba-ken 278-8510, Japan.
authors.forename: Kei-ichi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Takata
authors.forename: Yoshihiro H
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Inoue
authors.forename: Fumiko
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Hirose
authors.forename: Shizuka
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Murakami
authors.forename: Kaori
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Shimanouchi
authors.forename: Ippei
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Sakimoto
authors.forename: Kengo
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Sakaguchi
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence / Q000502:physiology; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D029721:Drosophila Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D004331:Drosophila melanogaster; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D024101:Mitochondrial Proteins; D009154:Mutation; D009687:Nuclear Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D013091:Spermatogenesis / Q000502:physiology; D013997:Time Factors; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D029721:Drosophila Proteins; D024101:Mitochondrial Proteins; D009687:Nuclear Proteins; C489029:TFAM protein, Drosophila; D014157:Transcription Factors; C422562:mitochondrial transcription factor A