Pattern of distribution and cycling of SLOB, Slowpoke channel binding protein, in Drosophila.
BACKGROUND
SLOB binds to and modulates the activity of the Drosophila Slowpoke (dSlo) calcium activated potassium channel. Recent microarray analyses demonstrated circadian cycling of slob mRNA.


RESULTS
We report the mRNA and protein expression pattern of slob in Drosophila heads. slob transcript is present in the photoreceptors, optic lobe, pars intercerebralis (PI) neurons and surrounding brain cortex. SLOB protein exhibits a similar distribution pattern, and we show that it cycles in Drosophila heads, in photoreceptor cells and in neurosecretory cells of the PI. The cycling of SLOB is altered in various clock gene mutants, and SLOB is expressed in ectopic locations in tim01 flies. We also demonstrate that SLOB no longer cycles in the PI neurons of Clkjrk flies, and that SLOB expression is reduced in the PI neurons of flies that lack pigment dispersing factor (PDF), a neuropeptide secreted by clock cells.


CONCLUSIONS
These data are consistent with the idea that SLOB may participate in one or more circadian pathways in Drosophila.
Department of Neuroscience, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104, USA. jaramill@mail.med.upenn.edu
Angela M
AM
Jaramillo
Xiangzhong
X
Zheng
Yi
Y
Zhou
Defne A
DA
Amado
Amanda
A
Sheldon
Amita
A
Sehgal
Irwin B
IB
Levitan
D000818:Animals; D056926:CLOCK Proteins; D002940:Circadian Rhythm / Q000502:physiology; D029721:Drosophila Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism*; D004331:Drosophila melanogaster / Q000378:metabolism*; D017952:Ganglia, Invertebrate / Q000378:metabolism; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D007447:Invertebrate Hormones / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D009154:Mutation; D009474:Neurons / Q000378:metabolism; D009899:Optic Lobe, Nonmammalian / Q000378:metabolism; D010507:Periodicity; D017956:Photoreceptor Cells, Invertebrate / Q000378:metabolism; D015221:Potassium Channels / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism*; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000235:genetics
C120526:Clk protein, Drosophila; D029721:Drosophila Proteins; D007447:Invertebrate Hormones; D015221:Potassium Channels; D012333:RNA, Messenger; C111538:Slob protein, Drosophila; D014157:Transcription Factors; D056926:CLOCK Proteins