Abstract
The Drosophila rhodopsin genes (rh's) represent a unique family of highly regulated cell-specific genes, where each member has its own expression pattern in the visual system. Extensive analysis of the rh's has revealed several functional elements that are involved in cell-specificity. We have investigated the functional role of the RCSI/P3 site that is found in the proximal promoter of all Drosophila rh genes. This sequence is remarkably conserved in evolution and is located 15-30 bp upstream of the TATA box. We have previously shown that, in the context of the rh1 promoter, this element is recognized in vivo by a Pax6 protein, the master regulator of eye development. Thus, rh regulation might represent the ancestral function of Pax6. Here, we investigated the role of the RCSI/P3 sequence in the other rh genes and show that they also mediate Pax6 function. We also tested the potential impact of the various RCSI/P3 sequences on the precise cell-specific expression of rh genes. Our results demonstrate that, even though all RCSI/P3 sequences bind Pax6, they are clearly distinct in various rh promoters and these differences are conserved throughout evolution: RCSI/P3 appears to participate in the fine-tuning of cell-specificity. We also show that Pax6 or a related Pax protein may be involved in the regulation of olfactory genes. Therefore, in addition to performing a global photoreceptor-specific function, RCSI also appears to mediate the combined action of Pax6 and other factors and to contribute to rh regulation in subsets of photoreceptors.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 143-153 |
| Number of pages | 11 |
| Journal | Mechanisms of Development |
| Volume | 101 |
| Issue number | 1-2 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - 2001 |
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Keywords
- Drosophila rhodopsin
- Pax6
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Developmental Biology
- Developmental Neuroscience
Cite this
A conserved regulatory element present in all Drosophila rhodopsin genes mediates Pax6 functions and participates in the fine-tuning of cell-specific expression. / Papatsenko, Dmitri; Nazina, Anna; Desplan, Claude.
In: Mechanisms of Development, Vol. 101, No. 1-2, 2001, p. 143-153.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - A conserved regulatory element present in all Drosophila rhodopsin genes mediates Pax6 functions and participates in the fine-tuning of cell-specific expression
AU - Papatsenko, Dmitri
AU - Nazina, Anna
AU - Desplan, Claude
PY - 2001
Y1 - 2001
N2 - The Drosophila rhodopsin genes (rh's) represent a unique family of highly regulated cell-specific genes, where each member has its own expression pattern in the visual system. Extensive analysis of the rh's has revealed several functional elements that are involved in cell-specificity. We have investigated the functional role of the RCSI/P3 site that is found in the proximal promoter of all Drosophila rh genes. This sequence is remarkably conserved in evolution and is located 15-30 bp upstream of the TATA box. We have previously shown that, in the context of the rh1 promoter, this element is recognized in vivo by a Pax6 protein, the master regulator of eye development. Thus, rh regulation might represent the ancestral function of Pax6. Here, we investigated the role of the RCSI/P3 sequence in the other rh genes and show that they also mediate Pax6 function. We also tested the potential impact of the various RCSI/P3 sequences on the precise cell-specific expression of rh genes. Our results demonstrate that, even though all RCSI/P3 sequences bind Pax6, they are clearly distinct in various rh promoters and these differences are conserved throughout evolution: RCSI/P3 appears to participate in the fine-tuning of cell-specificity. We also show that Pax6 or a related Pax protein may be involved in the regulation of olfactory genes. Therefore, in addition to performing a global photoreceptor-specific function, RCSI also appears to mediate the combined action of Pax6 and other factors and to contribute to rh regulation in subsets of photoreceptors.
AB - The Drosophila rhodopsin genes (rh's) represent a unique family of highly regulated cell-specific genes, where each member has its own expression pattern in the visual system. Extensive analysis of the rh's has revealed several functional elements that are involved in cell-specificity. We have investigated the functional role of the RCSI/P3 site that is found in the proximal promoter of all Drosophila rh genes. This sequence is remarkably conserved in evolution and is located 15-30 bp upstream of the TATA box. We have previously shown that, in the context of the rh1 promoter, this element is recognized in vivo by a Pax6 protein, the master regulator of eye development. Thus, rh regulation might represent the ancestral function of Pax6. Here, we investigated the role of the RCSI/P3 sequence in the other rh genes and show that they also mediate Pax6 function. We also tested the potential impact of the various RCSI/P3 sequences on the precise cell-specific expression of rh genes. Our results demonstrate that, even though all RCSI/P3 sequences bind Pax6, they are clearly distinct in various rh promoters and these differences are conserved throughout evolution: RCSI/P3 appears to participate in the fine-tuning of cell-specificity. We also show that Pax6 or a related Pax protein may be involved in the regulation of olfactory genes. Therefore, in addition to performing a global photoreceptor-specific function, RCSI also appears to mediate the combined action of Pax6 and other factors and to contribute to rh regulation in subsets of photoreceptors.
KW - Drosophila rhodopsin
KW - Pax6
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=0035117965&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=0035117965&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/S0925-4773(00)00581-5
DO - 10.1016/S0925-4773(00)00581-5
M3 - Article
VL - 101
SP - 143
EP - 153
JO - Mechanisms of Development
JF - Mechanisms of Development
SN - 0925-4773
IS - 1-2
ER -