Impact of Ultrabithorax alternative splicing on Drosophila embryonic nervous system development. (November 2015)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Geyer, Aenne; Koltsaki, Ioanna; Hessinger, Christian; Renner, Simone; Rogulja-Ortmann, Ana
• Is Part Of: Mechanisms of development. Volume 138 Part 2(2015)
• Page Start: 177
• Page End: 189
• Publication Date: 2015-11
• Subjects: Hox genes -- Ultrabithorax -- Neuroblast identity -- CNS development -- Alternative splicing; Developmental biology -- Periodicals; Molecular biology -- Periodicals; Developmental Biology -- Periodicals; Molecular Biology -- Periodicals; Biologie du développement -- Périodiques; Biologie moléculaire -- Périodiques; Developmental biology; Molecular biology; Periodicals; Electronic journals; 571.8
• DOI: 10.1016/j.mod.2015.08.007
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0925-4773

Abstract

Abstract: Hox genes control divergent segment identities along the anteroposterior body axis of bilateral animals by regulating a large number of processes in a cell context-specific manner. How Hox proteins achieve this functional diversity is a long-standing question in developmental biology. In this study we investigate the role of alternative splicing in functional specificity of the Drosophila Hox gene Ultrabithorax ( Ubx ). We focus specifically on the embryonic central nervous system (CNS) and provide a description of temporal expression patterns of three major Ubx isoforms during development of this tissue. These analyses imply distinct functions for individual isoforms in different stages of neural development. We also examine the set of Ubx isoforms expressed in two isoform-specific Ubx mutant strains and analyze for the first time the effects of splicing defects on regional neural stem cell (neuroblast) identity. Our findings support the notion of specific isoforms having different effects in providing individual neuroblasts with positional identity along the anteroposterior body axis, as well as being involved in regulation of progeny cell fate. Highlights: Alternatively spliced Ubx isoforms show distinct temporal expression patterns during Drosophila embryonic CNS development Isoform-specific Ubx mutants express isoforms not found in wild-type embryos Ubx isoforms exhibit specific functions in providing positional identity to neural stem cells along the A/P body axis