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PMID: 16150708 Published · ppublish English Journal Article Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

Bicoid cooperative DNA binding is critical for embryonic patterning in Drosophila.

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America ·Vol. 102 ·No. 37 ·2005-09-13 ·Pages 13176-81

Lebrecht D, Foehr M, Smith E, Lopes FJ, Vanario-Alonso CE, Reinitz J, Burz DS, Hanes SD

Abstract

Cooperative interactions by DNA-binding proteins have been implicated in cell-fate decisions in a variety of organisms. To date, however, there are few examples in which the importance of such interactions has been explicitly tested in vivo. Here, we tested the importance of cooperative DNA binding by the Bicoid protein in establishing a pattern along the anterior-posterior axis of the early Drosophila embryo. We found that bicoid mutants specifically defective in cooperative DNA binding fail to direct proper development of the head and thorax, leading to embryonic lethality. The mutants did not faithfully stimulate transcription of downstream target genes such as hunchback (hb), giant, and Krüppel. Quantitative analysis of gene expression in vivo indicated that bcd cooperativity mutants were unable to accurately direct the extent to which hb is expressed along the anterior-posterior axis and displayed a reduced ability to generate sharp on/off transitions for hb gene expression. These failures in precise transcriptional control demonstrate the importance of cooperative DNA binding for embryonic patterning in vivo.

MeSH Terms
Allosteric Regulation Animals Body Patterning DNA-Binding Proteins/genetics,physiology Drosophila Proteins/genetics,physiology Drosophila melanogaster/embryology,growth & development Embryo, Nonmammalian/physiology Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental Head/growth & development Homeodomain Proteins/genetics,physiology Mutation Protein Binding Thorax/growth & development Trans-Activators/genetics,physiology Transcription Factors/genetics Transcription, Genetic
Chemicals
DNA-Binding Proteins Drosophila Proteins Homeodomain Proteins Trans-Activators Transcription Factors bcd protein, Drosophila hb protein, Drosophila
Authors & Affiliations
8 authors, click to expand affiliations / ORCID
Lebrecht Danielle
Wadsworth Center, New York State Department of Health, 120 New Scotland Avenue, Albany, NY 12208, USA.
Foehr Marisa
Smith Eric
Lopes Francisco J P
Vanario-Alonso Carlos E
Reinitz John
Burz David S
Hanes Steven D
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Article Info
Journal
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America
Abbr.
Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A
ISSN
0027-8424
DOI
10.1073/pnas.0506462102
Published
2005-09-13
Epub
2005-00-06
Pages
13176-81
Language
English
Region
United States
NLM ID
7505876
PMCID
PMC1201621
Subset
IM
Grants
NCRR NIH HHS · R01 RR007801 · United States
NCRR NIH HHS · RR07801 · United States
FIC NIH HHS · TW01147 · United States
External Links
PubMed source DOI: 10.1073/pnas.0506462102 PMC Full Text View journal details
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