Van De Bor V, Heitzler P, Leger S, Plessy C, Giangrande A. Precocious expression of the Glide/Gcm glial-promoting factor in Drosophila induces neurogenesis.
Genetics 2002;
160:1095-106. [PMID:
11901125 PMCID:
PMC1462002 DOI:
10.1093/genetics/160.3.1095]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Neurons and glial cells depend on similar developmental pathways and often originate from common precursors; however, the differentiation of one or the other cell type depends on the activation of cell-specific pathways. In Drosophila, the differentiation of glial cells depends on a transcription factor, Glide/Gcm. This glial-promoting factor is both necessary and sufficient to induce the central and peripheral glial fates at the expense of the neuronal fate. In a screen for mutations affecting the adult peripheral nervous system, we have found a dominant mutation inducing supernumerary sensory organs. Surprisingly, this mutation is allelic to glide/gcm and induces precocious glide/gcm expression, which, in turn, activates the proneural genes. As a consequence, sensory organs are induced. Thus, temporal misregulation of the Glide/Gcm glial-promoting factor reveals a novel potential for this cell fate determinant. At the molecular level, this implies unpredicted features of the glide/gcm pathway. These findings also emphasize the requirement for both spatial and temporal glide/gcm regulation to achieve proper cell specification within the nervous system.
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