Identification of novel regulators of atonal expression in the developing Drosophila retina.
Atonal is a Drosophila proneural protein required for the proper formation of the R8 photoreceptor cell, the founding photoreceptor cell in the developing retina. Proper expression and refinement of the Atonal protein is essential for the proper formation of the Drosophila adult eye. In vertebrates, expression of transcription factors orthologous to Drosophila Atonal (MATH5/Atoh7, XATH5, and ATH5) and their progressive restriction are also involved in specifying the retinal ganglion cell, the founding neural cell type in the mammalian retina. Thus, identifying factors that are involved in regulating the expression of Atonal during development are important to fully understand how retinal neurogenesis is accomplished. We have performed a chemical mutagenesis screen for autosomal dominant enhancers of a loss-of-function atonal eye phenotype. We report here the identification of five genes required for proper Atonal expression, three of which are novel regulators of Atonal expression in the Drosophila retina. We characterize the role of the daughterless, kismet, and roughened eye genes on atonal transcriptional regulation in the developing retina and show that each gene regulates atonal transcription differently within the context of retinal development. Our results provide additional insights into the regulation of Atonal expression in the developing Drosophila retina.
Melicharek
David
D
Department of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA.
Shah
Arpit
A
DiStefano
Ginnene
G
Gangemi
Andrew J
AJ
Orapallo
Andrew
A
Vrailas-Mortimer
Alysia D
AD
Marenda
Daniel R
DR
D000818:Animals; D051792:Basic Helix-Loop-Helix Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D004265:DNA Helicases / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D004330:Drosophila / Q000196:embryology / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D029721:Drosophila Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D004625:Embryo, Nonmammalian; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; D053823:Hedgehog Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D018398:Homeodomain Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D010641:Phenotype; D012160:Retina / Q000196:embryology* / Q000378:metabolism*; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism
D051792:Basic Helix-Loop-Helix Proteins; D004265:DNA Helicases; D029721:Drosophila Proteins; D053823:Hedgehog Proteins; D018398:Homeodomain Proteins; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; D014157:Transcription Factors; C090080:Da protein, Drosophila; C082142:ato protein, Drosophila; C450830:roughened protein, Drosophila; C077245:hh protein, Drosophila; C118474:kis protein, Drosophila