Regulation of neuroblast competence: multiple temporal identity factors specify distinct neuronal fates within a single early competence window.
Cellular competence is an essential but poorly understood aspect of development. Is competence a general property that affects multiple signaling pathways (e.g., chromatin state), or is competence specific for each signaling pathway (e.g., availability of cofactors)? Here we find that Drosophila neuroblast 7-1 (NB7-1) has a single early window of competence to respond to four different temporal identity genes (Hunchback, Krüppel, Pdm, and Castor); that each of these factors specifies distinct motor neuron identities within this competence window but not outside it; and that progressive restriction to respond to Hunchback and Krüppel occurs within this window. Our work raises the possibility that multiple competence windows may allow the same factors to generate different cell types within the same lineage.
University of Oregon Department of Neuroscience, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Eugene, Oregon 97403, USA.
Michael D
MD
Cleary
Chris Q
CQ
Doe
D000818:Animals; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000502:physiology*; D019070:Cell Lineage / Q000502:physiology*; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D004330:Drosophila / Q000196:embryology*; D029721:Drosophila Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D018398:Homeodomain Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D051741:Kruppel-Like Transcription Factors / Q000378:metabolism; D008856:Microscopy, Fluorescence; D009046:Motor Neurons / Q000166:cytology* / Q000378:metabolism; D050809:POU Domain Factors / Q000378:metabolism; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000502:physiology*; D013997:Time Factors; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000378:metabolism
D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D029721:Drosophila Proteins; D018398:Homeodomain Proteins; C497244:Kr protein, Drosophila; D051741:Kruppel-Like Transcription Factors; D050809:POU Domain Factors; D014157:Transcription Factors; C110593:cas protein, Drosophila; C061245:hb protein, Drosophila; C104121:nub protein, Drosophila