Development of morphological diversity of dendrites in Drosophila by the BTB-zinc finger protein abrupt

Kaoru Sugimura; Daisuke Satoh; Patricia Estes; Stephen Crews; Tadashi Uemura

doi:10.1016/j.neuron.2004.08.016

Development of morphological diversity of dendrites in Drosophila by the BTB-zinc finger protein abrupt

Neuron. 2004 Sep 16;43(6):809-22. doi: 10.1016/j.neuron.2004.08.016.

Authors

Kaoru Sugimura¹, Daisuke Satoh, Patricia Estes, Stephen Crews, Tadashi Uemura

Affiliation

¹ Laboratory of Molecular Genetics, The Institute for Virus Research, Kyoto University, Kyoto 606-8507, Japan.

PMID: 15363392
DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2004.08.016

Abstract

Morphological diversity of dendrites contributes to specialized functions of individual neurons. In the present study, we examined the molecular basis that generates distinct morphological classes of Drosophila dendritic arborization (da) neurons. da neurons are classified into classes I to IV in order of increasing territory size and/or branching complexity. We found that Abrupt (Ab), a BTB-zinc finger protein, is expressed selectively in class I cells. Misexpression of ab in neurons of other classes directed them to take the appearance of cells with smaller and/or less elaborated arbors. Loss of ab functions in class I neurons resulted in malformation of their typical comb-like arbor patterns and generation of supernumerary branch terminals. Together with the results of monitoring dendritic dynamics of ab-misexpressing cells or ab mutant ones, all of the data suggested that Ab endows characteristics of dendritic morphogenesis of the class I neurons.

Publication types

Comparative Study
Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Animals
Animals, Genetically Modified
Dendrites / physiology*
Drosophila
Drosophila Proteins / metabolism
Drosophila Proteins / physiology*
Embryo, Nonmammalian
Fushi Tarazu Transcription Factors
Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental / physiology
Green Fluorescent Proteins
Homeodomain Proteins
Immunohistochemistry / methods
Larva
Luminescent Proteins / metabolism
Morphogenesis / physiology*
Nerve Tissue Proteins / metabolism
Neurons / classification
Neurons / cytology*
Neurons / physiology
Nuclear Proteins / metabolism
Recombinant Fusion Proteins / metabolism
Time Factors
Trans-Activators / metabolism
Transcription Factors
Zinc Fingers / physiology*

Substances

Drosophila Proteins
Fushi Tarazu Transcription Factors
GAL4-ftzQ protein, Drosophila
Homeodomain Proteins
Luminescent Proteins
Nerve Tissue Proteins
Nuclear Proteins
Recombinant Fusion Proteins
Trans-Activators
Transcription Factors
ct protein, Drosophila
Green Fluorescent Proteins