title: The elongin complex antagonizes the chromatin factor Corto for vein versus intervein cell identity in Drosophila wings.
abstract: Drosophila wings mainly consist of two cell types, vein and intervein cells. Acquisition of either fate depends on specific expression of genes that are controlled by several signaling pathways. The nuclear mechanisms that translate signaling into regulation of gene expression are not completely understood, but they involve chromatin factors from the Trithorax (TrxG) and Enhancers of Trithorax and Polycomb (ETP) families. One of these is the ETP Corto that participates in intervein fate through interaction with the Drosophila EGF Receptor--MAP kinase ERK pathway. Precise mechanisms and molecular targets of Corto in this process are not known. We show here that Corto interacts with the Elongin transcription elongation complex. This complex, that consists of three subunits (Elongin A, B, C), increases RNA polymerase II elongation rate in vitro by suppressing transient pausing. Analysis of phenotypes induced by EloA, B, or C deregulation as well as genetic interactions suggest that the Elongin complex might participate in vein vs intervein specification, and antagonizes corto as well as several TrxG genes in this process. Chromatin immunoprecipitation experiments indicate that Elongin C and Corto bind the vein-promoting gene rhomboid in wing imaginal discs. We propose that Corto and the Elongin complex participate together in vein vs intervein fate, possibly through tissue-specific transcriptional regulation of rhomboid.
authors.affiliation: Université Pierre et Marie Curie-Paris 6, UMR7622, Paris, France ; Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, UMR7622, Laboratoire de Biologie du Développement, Paris, France.
authors.forename: Julien
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Rougeot
authors.forename: Myrtille
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Renard
authors.forename: Neel B
authors.initials: NB
authors.lastname: Randsholt
authors.forename: Frédérique
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Peronnet
authors.forename: Emmanuèle
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Mouchel-Vielh
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002467:Cell Nucleus / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D002843:Chromatin / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D004330:Drosophila / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D029721:Drosophila Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D000075065:Elongin; D015870:Gene Expression / Q000235:genetics; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000235:genetics; D009154:Mutation / Q000235:genetics; D009687:Nuclear Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D012319:RNA Polymerase II / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D014680:Veins / Q000378:metabolism*; D014921:Wings, Animal / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D002843:Chromatin; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D029721:Drosophila Proteins; D000075065:Elongin; D009687:Nuclear Proteins; D014157:Transcription Factors; C110988:corto protein, Drosophila; D012319:RNA Polymerase II