title: A dual function of Bcl11b/Ctip2 in hippocampal neurogenesis.
abstract: The development of the dentate gyrus is characterized by distinct phases establishing a durable stem-cell pool required for postnatal and adult neurogenesis. Here, we report that Bcl11b/Ctip2, a zinc finger transcription factor expressed in postmitotic neurons, plays a critical role during postnatal development of the dentate gyrus. Forebrain-specific ablation of Bcl11b uncovers dual phase-specific functions of Bcl11b demonstrated by feedback control of the progenitor cell compartment as well as regulation of granule cell differentiation, leading to impaired spatial learning and memory in mutants. Surprisingly, we identified Desmoplakin as a direct transcriptional target of Bcl11b. Similarly to Bcl11b, postnatal neurogenesis and granule cell differentiation are impaired in Desmoplakin mutants. Re-expression of Desmoplakin in Bcl11b mutants rescues impaired neurogenesis, suggesting Desmoplakin to be an essential downstream effector of Bcl11b in hippocampal development. Together, our data define an important novel regulatory pathway in hippocampal development, by linking transcriptional functions of Bcl11b to Desmoplakin, a molecule known to act on cell adhesion.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Molecular and Cellular Anatomy, Ulm University, Ulm, Germany.
authors.forename: Ruth
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Simon
authors.forename: Heike
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Brylka
authors.forename: Herbert
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Schwegler
authors.forename: Sathish
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Venkataramanappa
authors.forename: Jacqueline
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Andratschke
authors.forename: Christoph
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Wiegreffe
authors.forename: Pentao
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Elaine
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Fuchs
authors.forename: Nancy A
authors.initials: NA
authors.lastname: Jenkins
authors.forename: Neal G
authors.initials: NG
authors.lastname: Copeland
authors.forename: Carmen
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Birchmeier
authors.forename: Stefan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Britsch
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D018891:Dentate Gyrus / Q000166:cytology / Q000254:growth & development / Q000502:physiology*; D051180:Desmoplakins / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D007859:Learning Disabilities / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology; D008297:Male; D008569:Memory Disorders / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology; D051379:Mice; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D008822:Mice, Transgenic; D055495:Neurogenesis / Q000502:physiology*; D016548:Prosencephalon / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism; D012097:Repressor Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D013234:Stem Cells / Q000502:physiology; D025521:Tumor Suppressor Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: C511143:Bcl11b protein, mouse; D051180:Desmoplakins; C495295:Dsp protein, mouse; D012097:Repressor Proteins; D025521:Tumor Suppressor Proteins