title: Hox Function Is Required for the Development and Maintenance of the Drosophila Feeding Motor Unit.
abstract: Feeding is an evolutionarily conserved and integral behavior that depends on the rhythmic activity of feeding muscles stimulated by specific motoneurons. However, critical molecular determinants underlying the development of the neuromuscular feeding unit are largely unknown. Here, we identify the Hox transcription factor Deformed (Dfd) as essential for feeding unit formation, from initial specification to the establishment of active synapses, by controlling stage-specific sets of target genes. Importantly, we found Dfd to control the expression of functional components of synapses, such as Ankyrin2-XL, a protein known to be critical for synaptic stability and connectivity. Furthermore, we uncovered Dfd as a potential regulator of synaptic specificity, as it represses expression of the synaptic cell adhesion molecule Connectin (Con). These results demonstrate that Dfd is critical for the establishment and maintenance of the neuromuscular unit required for feeding behavior, which might be shared by other group 4 Hox genes.
authors.affiliation: University of Heidelberg, Centre for Organismal Studies (COS) Heidelberg, Department of Developmental Biology, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany.
authors.forename: Jana
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Friedrich
authors.affiliation: University of Heidelberg, Centre for Organismal Studies (COS) Heidelberg, Department of Developmental Biology, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany.
authors.forename: Sebastian
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sorge
authors.affiliation: University of Heidelberg, Centre for Organismal Studies (COS) Heidelberg, Department of Developmental Biology, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany.
authors.forename: Fatmire
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Bujupi
authors.affiliation: University of Heidelberg, Centre for Organismal Studies (COS) Heidelberg, Department of Developmental Biology and Physiology, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany.
authors.forename: Michael P
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Eichenlaub
authors.affiliation: University of Heidelberg, Centre for Organismal Studies (COS) Heidelberg, Department of Developmental Biology, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany.
authors.forename: Natalie G
authors.initials: NG
authors.lastname: Schulz
authors.affiliation: University of Heidelberg, Centre for Organismal Studies (COS) Heidelberg, Department of Developmental Biology and Physiology, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany.
authors.forename: Jochen
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wittbrodt
authors.affiliation: University of Heidelberg, Centre for Organismal Studies (COS) Heidelberg, Department of Developmental Biology, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany. Electronic address: ilohmann@flydev.org.
authors.forename: Ingrid
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Lohmann
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017487:Ankyrins / Q000378:metabolism; D064211:Connectin / Q000378:metabolism; D004330:Drosophila; D029721:Drosophila Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D005247:Feeding Behavior; D018398:Homeodomain Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D009046:Motor Neurons / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D055495:Neurogenesis; D009469:Neuromuscular Junction / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D017487:Ankyrins; D064211:Connectin; C066676:Dfd protein, Drosophila; D029721:Drosophila Proteins; D018398:Homeodomain Proteins
keywords: Ank2-XL; Deformed (Dfd); Drosophila; Hox; Hox4; feeding behavior; feeding motor pattern; feeding movements; hatching behavior; motor control; neuromuscular junction; neuromuscular unit; synapse