title: Proper connectivity of Drosophila motion detector neurons requires Atonal function in progenitor cells.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Vertebrates and invertebrates obtain visual motion information by channeling moving visual cues perceived by the retina through specific motion sensitive synaptic relays in the brain. In Drosophila, the series of synaptic relays forming the optic lobe are known as the lamina, medulla, lobula and lobula plate neuropiles. The fly's motion detection output neurons, called the T4 and T5 cells, reside in the lobula plate. Adult optic lobe neurons are derived from larval neural progenitors in two proliferating compartments known as the outer and inner proliferation centers (OPC and IPC). Important insight has been gained into molecular mechanisms involved in the development of the lamina and medulla from the OPC, though less is known about the development of the lobula and lobula plate.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Here we show that the proneural gene Atonal is expressed in a subset of IPC progenitors that give rise to the higher order motion detection neurons, T4 and T5, of the lobula plate. We also show that Atonal does not act as a proneural gene in this context. Rather, it is required specifically in IPC neural progenitors to regulate neurite outgrowth in the neuronal progeny.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our findings reveal that a proneural gene is expressed in progenitors but is required for neurite development of their progeny neurons. This suggests that transcriptional programs initiated specifically in progenitors are necessary for subsequent neuronal morphogenesis.
authors.forename: Carlos
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Oliva
authors.forename: Ching-Man
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.forename: Laura J J
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: Nicolai
authors.forename: Natalia
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Mora
authors.forename: Natalie
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: De Geest
authors.affiliation: VIB Center for Biology of Disease, VIB, 3000 Leuven, Belgium. bh@kuleuven.be.
authors.forename: Bassem A
authors.initials: BA
authors.lastname: Hassan
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D051792:Basic Helix-Loop-Helix Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D029721:Drosophila Proteins; D004331:Drosophila melanogaster; D009039:Motion Perception / Q000502:physiology; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D058953:Neural Stem Cells / Q000378:metabolism*; D016501:Neurites / Q000378:metabolism*; D009474:Neurons / Q000378:metabolism*; D009899:Optic Lobe, Nonmammalian / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D051792:Basic Helix-Loop-Helix Proteins; D029721:Drosophila Proteins; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; C082142:ato protein, Drosophila