title: A new Prospero and microRNA-279 pathway restricts CO2 receptor neuron formation.
abstract: CO(2) sensation represents an interesting example of nervous system and behavioral evolutionary divergence. The underlying molecular mechanisms, however, are not understood. Loss of microRNA-279 in Drosophila melanogaster leads to the formation of a CO(2) sensory system partly similar to the one of mosquitoes. Here, we show that a novel allele of the pleiotropic transcription factor Prospero resembles the miR-279 phenotype. We use a combination of genetics and in vitro and in vivo analysis to demonstrate that Pros participates in the regulation of miR-279 expression, and that reexpression of miR-279 rescues the pros CO(2) neuron phenotype. We identify common target molecules of miR-279 and Pros in bioinformatics analysis, and show that overexpression of the transcription factors Nerfin-1 and Escargot (Esg) is sufficient to induce formation of CO(2) neurons on maxillary palps. Our results suggest that Prospero restricts CO(2) neuron formation indirectly via miR-279 and directly by repressing the shared target molecules, Nerfin-1 and Esg, during olfactory system development. Given the important role of Pros in differentiation of the nervous system, we anticipate that miR-mediated signal tuning represents a powerful method for olfactory sensory system diversification during evolution.
authors: Max-Planck Institute of Neurobiology, Sensory Neurogenetics Research Group, 82152 Martinsried, Germany.
authors: Marion
authors: M
authors: Hartl
authors: Laura F
authors: LF
authors: Loschek
authors: Daniel
authors: D
authors: Stephan
authors: K P
authors: KP
authors: Siju
authors: Christiane
authors: C
authors: Knappmeyer
authors: Ilona C Grunwald
authors: IC
authors: Kadow
mesh_terms: D000200:Action Potentials / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics; D000818:Animals; D030801:Animals, Genetically Modified; D002452:Cell Count; D047369:Chromatin Immunoprecipitation; D019295:Computational Biology; D029721:Drosophila Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D004331:Drosophila melanogaster; D024202:Electrophoretic Mobility Shift Assay; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental / Q000235:genetics; D049452:Green Fluorescent Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D035683:MicroRNAs / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D009154:Mutation / Q000235:genetics; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D055495:Neurogenesis / Q000235:genetics; D009474:Neurons / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D009687:Nuclear Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D010641:Phenotype; D034622:RNA Interference / Q000502:physiology; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface / Q000378:metabolism*; D012679:Sense Organs / Q000166:cytology; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D029721:Drosophila Proteins; C568310:MIRN279 microRNA, Drosophila; D035683:MicroRNAs; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; D009687:Nuclear Proteins; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface; D014157:Transcription Factors; C054079:carbon dioxide receptor; C073099:pros protein, Drosophila; D049452:Green Fluorescent Proteins