title: A bZIP/bRLZ transcription factor required for DIF signaling in Dictyostelium.
abstract: The intermingled differentiation and sorting out of Dictyostelium prestalk-O and prespore cells requires the diffusible signaling molecule DIF-1, and provides an example of a spatial information-independent patterning mechanism. To further understand this patterning process, we used genetic selection to isolate mutants in the DIF-1 response pathway. The disrupted gene in one such mutant, dimA(-), encodes a bZIP/bRLZ transcription factor, which is required for every DIF-1 response investigated. Furthermore, the dimA(-) mutant shows strikingly similar developmental defects to the dmtA(-) mutant, which is specifically defective in DIF-1 synthesis. However, key differences exist: (1) the dmtA(-) mutant responds to DIF-1 but does not produce DIF-1; (2) the dimA(-) mutant produces DIF-1 but does not respond to DIF-1; and (3) the dimA(-) mutant exhibits cell autonomous defects in cell type differentiation. These results suggest that dimA encodes the key transcriptional regulator required to integrate DIF-1 signaling and subsequent patterning in Dictyostelium.
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, One Baylor Plaza, Houston, Texas 77030, USA. crt@bcm.tmc.edu
authors.forename: Christopher R L
authors.initials: CR
authors.lastname: Thompson
authors.forename: Qing
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Fu
authors.forename: Caroline
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Buhay
authors.forename: Robert R
authors.initials: RR
authors.lastname: Kay
authors.forename: Gad
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Shaulsky
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D050976:Basic-Leucine Zipper Transcription Factors; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D004023:Dictyostelium / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D051790:G-Box Binding Factors; D006588:Hexanones / Q000378:metabolism*; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D050976:Basic-Leucine Zipper Transcription Factors; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D051790:G-Box Binding Factors; D006588:Hexanones; D014157:Transcription Factors; C053433:1-((3,5-dichloro)-2,6-dihydroxy-4-methoxyphenyl)-1-hexanone