Dorso-ventral axis formation of the Drosophila oocyte requires Cyclin G.

In general, cyclins control the cell cycle. Not so the atypical cyclins, which are required for diverse cellular functions such as for genome stability or for the regulation of transcription and translation. The atypical Cyclin G (CycG) gene of Drosophila has been involved in the epigenetic regulation of abdominal segmentation, cell proliferation and growth, based on overexpression and RNAi studies, but detailed analyses were hampered by the lack of a cycG mutant. For further investigations, we subjected the cycG locus to a detailed molecular analysis. Moreover, we studied a cycG null mutant that we recently established. The mutant flies are homozygous viable, however, the mutant females are sterile and produce ventralized eggs. Here we show that this egg phenotype is primarily a consequence of a defective Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor (EGFR) signalling pathway. By using different read outs, we demonstrate that cycG loss is tantamount to lowered EGFR signalling. Inferred from epistasis experiments, we conclude that CycG promotes the Grk signal in the oocyte. Abnormal accumulation but regular secretion of the Grk protein suggests defects of Grk translation in cycG mutants rather than transcriptional regulation. Accordingly, protein accumulation of Vasa, which acts as an oocyte specific translational regulator of Grk in the oocyte is abnormal. We propose a role of cycG in processes that regulate translation of Grk and hence, influence EGFR-mediated patterning processes during oogenesis.

Drosophila Hey is a target of Notch in asymmetric divisions during embryonic and larval neurogenesis.

bHLH-O proteins are a subfamily of the basic-helix-loop-helix transcription factors characterized by an 'Orange' protein-protein interaction domain. Typical members are the Hairy/E(spl), or Hes, proteins, well studied in their ability, among others, to suppress neuronal differentiation in both invertebrates and vertebrates. Hes proteins are often effectors of Notch signalling. In vertebrates, another bHLH-O protein group, the Hey proteins, have also been shown to be Notch targets and to interact with Hes. We have studied the single Drosophila Hey orthologue. We show that it is primarily expressed in a subset of newly born neurons, which receive Notch signalling during their birth. Unlike in vertebrates, however, Hey is not expressed in precursor cells and does not block neuronal differentiation. It rather promotes one of two alternative fates that sibling neurons adopt at birth. Although in the majority of cases Hey is a Notch target, it is also expressed independently of Notch in some lineages, most notably the larval mushroom body. The availability of Hey as a Notch readout has allowed us to study Notch signalling during the genesis of secondary neurons in the larval central nervous system.

Hairless induces cell death by downregulation of EGFR signalling activity.

Overexpression of the Notch antagonist Hairless (H) during imaginal development in Drosophila is correlated with tissue loss and cell death. Together with the co-repressors Groucho (Gro) and C-terminal binding protein (CtBP), H assembles a repression complex on Notch target genes, thereby downregulating Notch signalling activity. Here we investigated the mechanisms underlying H-mediated cell death in S2 cell culture and in vivo during imaginal development in Drosophila. First, we mapped the domains within the H protein that are required for apoptosis induction in cell culture. These include the binding sites for the co-repressors, both of which are essential for H-mediated cell death during fly development. Hence, the underlying cause of H-mediated apoptosis seems to be a transcriptional downregulation of Notch target genes involved in cell survival. In a search for potential targets, we observed transcriptional downregulation of rho-lacZ and EGFR signalling output. Moreover, the EGFR antagonists lozenge, klumpfuss and argos were all activated upon H overexpression. This result conforms to the proapoptotic activity of H, as these factors are known to be involved in apoptosis induction. Together, the results indicate that H induces apoptosis by downregulation of EGFR signalling activity. This highlights the importance of a coordinated interplay of Notch and EGFR signalling pathways for cell survival during Drosophila development.

Involvement of co-repressors Groucho and CtBP in the regulation of single-minded in Drosophila.

Dorso-ventral patterning results in the establishment of the two germ layers in the Drosophila embryo, mesoderm and mesectoderm, that are separated by a strip of cells giving rise to the mesectoderm and eventually to the ventral midline. The mesectoderm is specified by the expression of single-minded (sim) which is activated through the concerted action of Dorsal and Twist in addition to a Notch signal. In the mesoderm, sim is repressed by Snail together with the co-repressor C-terminal binding protein (CtBP). Here, we address the involvement of the two co-repressors CtBP and Groucho (Gro) in repression of sim in the neuroectoderm. It was shown earlier that sim is restricted in the neuroectoderm with help of Suppressor of Hairless [Su(H)] and Hairless. Using the female sterile technique, we generated germ line clones deficient for Gro, CtBP or Hairless and assayed sim mRNA relative to snail mRNA expression. We show that sim repression requires both co-repressors Gro and CtBP to be fully repressed in the neuroectoderm, suggesting that a repression complex is assembled including Su(H) and Hairless as was shown for other Notch target genes before. Moreover, our work implies that Gro is important for the repression of sim specifically within the mesoderm anlagen, indicating that Snail and CtBP are insufficient to entirely silence sim in this germ layer.

Protein kinase D regulates several aspects of development in Drosophila melanogaster.

BACKGROUND: Protein Kinase D (PKD) is an effector of diacylglycerol-regulated signaling pathways. Three isoforms are known in mammals that have been linked to diverse cellular functions including regulation of cell proliferation, differentiation, motility and secretory transport from the trans-Golgi network to the plasma membrane. In Drosophila, there is a single PKD orthologue, whose broad expression implicates a more general role in development. RESULTS: We have employed tissue specific overexpression of various PKD variants as well as tissue specific RNAi, in order to investigate the function of the PKD gene in Drosophila. Apart from a wild type (WT), a kinase dead (kd) and constitutively active (SE) Drosophila PKD variant, we also analyzed two human isoforms hPKD2 and hPKD3 for their capacity to substitute PKD activity in the fly. Overexpression of either WT or kd-PKD variants affected primarily wing vein development. However, overexpression of SE-PKD and PKD RNAi was deleterious. We observed tissue loss, wing defects and degeneration of the retina. The latter phenotype conforms to a role of PKD in the regulation of cytoskeletal dynamics. Strongest phenotypes were larval to pupal lethality. RNAi induced phenotypes could be rescued by a concurrent overexpression of Drosophila wild type PKD or either human isoform hPKD2 and hPKD3. CONCLUSION: Our data confirm the hypothesis that Drosophila PKD is a multifunctional kinase involved in diverse processes such as regulation of the cytoskeleton, cell proliferation and death as well as differentiation of various fly tissues.

Drosophila protein kinase D is broadly expressed and a fraction localizes to the Golgi compartment.

Protein kinase D belongs to the subfamily of CaMK. In mammals, three isoforms are known. They have been linked to diverse cellular functions including regulation of cell proliferation, differentiation, apoptosis and motility as well as secretory transport from the trans-Golgi compartment to the plasma membrane. Accordingly, the mammalian PKDs show different intracellular locations, with reported dynamic redistribution, between cytosol, Golgi, plasma membranes and the nucleus, depending on the cell type and exogenous stimuli. The genome of Drosophila melanogaster harbours just one, highly conserved PKD homologue, which is expressed throughout development. PKD mRNA expression during late embryogenesis is restricted to ectodermal derivatives including those involved in cuticle secretion. In imaginal tissues, transcription appears more uniform. PKD protein is detected predominantly in the cytosol with an enrichment in lateral apodemes of late embryos as well as in larval fascicles. In secretory tissues like salivary glands, the protein is concentrated in dotted structures. A PKD-GFP transgene reveals a similar punctuate protein accumulation juxtaposed to a resident Golgi-marker. In cultured cells, transfected Drosophila PKD-GFP colocalizes with a marker of the trans-Golgi compartment like human PKD1-GFP. Similar to the mammalian homologues, Drosophila PKD may be multifunctional including a role in secretory transport in accordance with its subcellular distribution.

Genetic screen for modifiers of the rough eye phenotype resulting from overexpression of the Notch antagonist hairless in Drosophila.

Hairless was identified as antagonist in the Notch signaling pathway based on genetic interactions. Molecularly, Hairless inhibits Notch target gene activation by directly binding to the Notch signal transducer Su(H). Additional functional domains apart from the Su(H) binding domain, however, suggest additional roles for the Hairless protein. To further our understanding of Hairless functions, we have performed a genetic screen for modifiers of a rough eye phenotype caused by overexpression of Hairless during eye development. A number of enhancers were identified that comprise mutations in components of Notch- and EGFR-signaling pathways, some unknown genes and the gene rugose. Mutant alleles of rugose display manifold genetic interactions with mutants in Notch and EGFR signaling pathway components. Accordingly, the rugose eye phenotype is rescued by Hairless and enhanced by Delta. Molecularly, interactions might occur at the protein level because rugose appears not to be a direct transcriptional target of Notch.