Polycomb genes interact with the tumor suppressor genes hippo and warts in the maintenance of Drosophila sensory neuron dendrites.
Dendritic fields are important determinants of neuronal function. However, how neurons establish and then maintain their dendritic fields is not well understood. Here we show that Polycomb group (PcG) genes are required for maintenance of complete and nonoverlapping dendritic coverage of the larval body wall by Drosophila class IV dendrite arborization (da) neurons. In esc, Su(z)12, or Pc mutants, dendritic fields are established normally, but class IV neurons display a gradual loss of dendritic coverage, while axons remain normal in appearance, demonstrating that PcG genes are specifically required for dendrite maintenance. Both multiprotein Polycomb repressor complexes (PRCs) involved in transcriptional silencing are implicated in regulation of dendrite arborization in class IV da neurons, likely through regulation of homeobox (Hox) transcription factors. We further show genetic interactions and association between PcG proteins and the tumor suppressor kinase Warts (Wts), providing evidence for their cooperation in multiple developmental processes including dendrite maintenance.
Parrish
Jay Z
JZ
Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Department of Physiology, University of California at San Francisco, San Francisco, California 94143, USA.
Emoto
Kazuo
K
Jan
Lily Yeh
LY
Jan
Yuh Nung
YN
D000818:Animals; D003712:Dendrites / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D029721:Drosophila Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D004331:Drosophila melanogaster / Q000235:genetics*; D017344:Genes, Insect; D016147:Genes, Tumor Suppressor; D011495:Histone-Lysine N-Methyltransferase; D047908:Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; D009475:Neurons, Afferent / Q000378:metabolism*; D063150:Polycomb Repressive Complex 1; D063151:Polycomb Repressive Complex 2; D011494:Protein Kinases / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases / Q000378:metabolism*; D012097:Repressor Proteins; D000099317:Hippo Kinases
D029721:Drosophila Proteins; D011495:Histone-Lysine N-Methyltransferase; D047908:Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; D063150:Polycomb Repressive Complex 1; D063151:Polycomb Repressive Complex 2; D011494:Protein Kinases; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases; D012097:Repressor Proteins; C066770:Pc protein, Drosophila; C543390:Su(z)12 protein, Drosophila; C543389:esc protein, Drosophila; C093503:wts protein, Drosophila; C499474:hpo protein, Drosophila; D000099317:Hippo Kinases