title: acal is a long non-coding RNA in JNK signaling in epithelial shape changes during drosophila dorsal closure.
abstract: Dorsal closure is an epithelial remodeling process taking place during Drosophila embryogenesis. JNK signaling coordinates dorsal closure. We identify and characterize acal as a novel negative dorsal closure regulator. acal represents a new level of JNK regulation. The acal locus codes for a conserved, long, non-coding, nuclear RNA. Long non-coding RNAs are an abundant and diverse class of gene regulators. Mutations in acal are lethal. acal mRNA expression is dynamic and is processed into a collection of 50 to 120 bp fragments. We show that acal lies downstream of raw, a pioneer protein, helping explain part of raw functions, and interacts genetically with Polycomb. acal functions in trans regulating mRNA expression of two genes involved in JNK signaling and dorsal closure: Connector of kinase to AP1 (Cka) and anterior open (aop). Cka is a conserved scaffold protein that brings together JNK and Jun, and aop is a transcription factor. Misregulation of Cka and aop can account for dorsal closure phenotypes in acal mutants.
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Neurobiología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, campus UNAM Juriquilla, Querétaro, México.
authors.forename: Luis Daniel
authors.initials: LD
authors.lastname: Ríos-Barrera
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Neurociencias, Universidad Miguel Hernández-CSIC, Campus de San Juan, Sant Joan d'Alacant, Alicante, España.
authors.forename: Irene
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Gutiérrez-Pérez
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Neurociencias, Universidad Miguel Hernández-CSIC, Campus de San Juan, Sant Joan d'Alacant, Alicante, España.
authors.forename: María
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Domínguez
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Neurobiología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, campus UNAM Juriquilla, Querétaro, México.
authors.forename: Juan Rafael
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Riesgo-Escovar
mesh_terms: D048868:Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D019521:Body Patterning / Q000235:genetics*; D029721:Drosophila Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D004331:Drosophila melanogaster / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development*; D004847:Epithelial Cells / Q000378:metabolism; D005136:Eye Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; D020935:MAP Kinase Signaling System / Q000235:genetics; D009154:Mutation; D010641:Phenotype; D063146:Polycomb-Group Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D062085:RNA, Long Noncoding / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics*; D012097:Repressor Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D015398:Signal Transduction
chemical_list: C076188:AOP protein, Drosophila; D048868:Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing; C499664:Cka protein, Drosophila; D029721:Drosophila Proteins; D005136:Eye Proteins; D063146:Polycomb-Group Proteins; D062085:RNA, Long Noncoding; D012097:Repressor Proteins; C000599272:acal long non-coding RNA, Drosophila