Nucleic Acids Research Advance Access originally published online on October 18, 2007
Nucleic Acids Research 2007 35(21):7150-7159; doi:10.1093/nar/gkm590
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Nucleic Acids Research, 2007, Vol. 35, No. 21 7150-7159
© 2007 The Author(s)
This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/2.0/uk/) which permits unrestricted non-commercial use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
Molecular Biology |
General, negative feedback mechanism for regulation of Trithorax-like gene expression in vivo: new roles for GAGA factor in flies
Institut de Biologia Molecular de Barcelona-CSIC, Parc Científic de Barcelona, Josep Samitier, 1-5, 08028 Barcelona, Spain
*To whom correspondence should be addressed. Tel: 34934034960; Fax: 34934034975; Email: jbmbmc{at}ibmb.csic.es
Received March 29, 2007. Revised June 22, 2007. Accepted July 18, 2007.
Expression of every gene is first regulated at the transcriptional level. While some genes show acute and discrete periods of expression others show a rather steady expression level throughout development. An example of the latter is Trithorax-like (Trl) a member of the Trithorax group that encodes GAGA factor in Drosophila. Among other functions, GAGA factor has been described to stimulate transcription of several genes, including some homeotic genes. Here we show that GAGA factor is continuously down-regulating the expression of its own promoter using a negative feedback mechanism in vivo. Like its expression, repression by GAGA factor is ubiquitous, prevents its accumulation, and takes place throughout development. Experimental alteration of GAGA factor dosage results in several unexpected phenotypes, not related to alteration of homeotic gene expression, but rather to functions that take place later during development and affect different morphogenetic processes. The results suggest that GAGA factor is essential during development, even after homeotic gene expression is established, and indicate the existence of an upper limit for GAGA factor dosage that should not be exceeded.
Present address: Ana Kosoy, Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research, 605 Third Avenue, New York, NY 10158 USA
CiteULike 
Connotea 
Del.icio.us What's this?
This article has been cited by other articles:
|
|
 |
|
  Y.-C. Chen, S. I. Lin, Y.-K. Chen, C.-S. Chiang, and G.-J. Liaw The Torso signaling pathway modulates a dual transcriptional switch to regulate tailless expression Nucleic Acids Res., March 1, 2009; 37(4): 1061 - 1072. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 D. L. Garaulet, D. Foronda, M. Calleja, and E. Sanchez-Herrero Polycomb-dependent Ultrabithorax Hox gene silencing induced by high Ultrabithorax levels in Drosophila Development, October 1, 2008; 135(19): 3219 - 3228. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|