title: Identification of the Drosophila skpA gene as a novel target of the transcription factor DREF.
abstract: SKPa is component of a Drosophila SCF complex that functions in combination with the ubiquitin-conjugating enzyme UbcD1. skpA null mutation results in centrosome overduplication, unusual chromatin condensation, defective endoreduplication and cell-cycle progression. While the molecular mechanisms that regulate expression of the skpA gene are poorly understood, the DNA replication-related element (DRE) and the DRE-binding factor (DREF) play important roles in regulating proliferation-related genes in Drosophila and DRE (5'-TATCGATA) and DRE-like (5'-CATCGATT) sequences were here found to be involved in skpA promoter activity. Thus both luciferase transient expression assays in cultured Drosophila S2 cells using skpA promoter-luciferase fusion plasmids and anti-lacZ immunostaining of various tissues from transgenic third instar larvae carrying the skpA promoter-lacZ fusion genes provided supportive evidence. Furthermore, anti-SKPa immunostaining of eye imaginal discs from flies overexpressing DREF showed ectopic expression of protein in the region posterior to the morphogenetic furrow where DREF is overexpressed. Knockdown of DREF in some tissues where SKPa distribution is well known almost completely abrogated the skpA gene expression. These findings, taken together, indicate that the Drosophila skpA gene is a novel target of the transcription factor DREF.
authors.affiliation: Department of Applied Biology, Kyoto Institute of Technology, Matsugasaki, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8585, Japan.
authors.forename: Dang Thi
authors.initials: DT
authors.lastname: Phuong Thao
authors.forename: Hiroyuki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ida
authors.forename: Hideki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yoshida
authors.forename: Masamitsu
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Yamaguchi
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D030801:Animals, Genetically Modified; D001665:Binding Sites; D002875:Chromosomes / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D029721:Drosophila Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism*; D004331:Drosophila melanogaster / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000196:embryology / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D004628:Embryonic Structures; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D006801:Humans; D010641:Phenotype; D017956:Photoreceptor Cells, Invertebrate / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000196:embryology; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic; D011485:Protein Binding; D044843:SKP Cullin F-Box Protein Ligases / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: C099494:Dref protein, Drosophila; D029721:Drosophila Proteins; C434749:SkpA protein, Drosophila; D014157:Transcription Factors; D044843:SKP Cullin F-Box Protein Ligases