Abstract
This study aims at identifying transcriptional targets of FruitlessBM (FruBM), which represents the major isoform of male-specific FruM transcription factors that induce neural sexual dimorphisms. A promoter of the axon-guidance factor gene robo1 carries the 16-bp palindrome motif Pal1, to which FruM binds. Our genome-wide search for Pal1-homologous sequences yielded ~200 candidate genes. Among these, CG17716 potentially encodes a transmembrane protein with extracellular immunoglobulin (Ig)-like domains similar to Robo1. Indeed, FruBM overexpression reduced CG17716 mRNA and protein expression. In the fru-expressing mAL neuron cluster exhibiting sexual dimorphism, we found that CG17716 knockdown in female neurons completely transformed all neurites to the male-type. Conversely, CG17716 overexpression suppressed male-specific midline crossing of fru-expressing sensory axons. We renamed CG17716 teiresias (tei) based on this feminizing function. We hypothesize that Tei interacts with other Ig superfamily transmembrane proteins, including Robo1, to feminize the neurite patterns in females, whereas FruBM represses tei transcription in males.
Highlights
This study aims at identifying transcriptional targets of FruitlessBM (FruBM), which represents the major isoform of male-specific FruM transcription factors that induce neural sexual dimorphisms
Such an evolutionary drive led to the development of sexual dimorphisms in the neural circuitry and neurons that compose this circuitry[1]
Among the four promoters identified in the fru gene, the most distal one is dedicated to sex-specific functions ascribed to the male-specific translation of P1-derived mRNAs6,7
Summary
This study aims at identifying transcriptional targets of FruitlessBM (FruBM), which represents the major isoform of male-specific FruM transcription factors that induce neural sexual dimorphisms. Drosophila melanogaster is an outstanding model organism highly amenable to genetic dissection of complex traits, including mating behavior[2] In this organism, the transcription factor gene fruitless (fru) plays a key role in organizing the sexually dimorphic circuitry for mating behavior by specifying sex-specific neuronal structures during development[3,4,5]. As a result of sex-specific splicing of the fru-P1 primary transcript, only male mRNAs have a long ORF encoding male-specific functional Fru proteins, called FruM. These proteins are translated as five isoforms, FruAM, FruBM, FruCM, FruDM, and. The most prevalent isoform is FruBM, which has two zinc-finger motifs in the C-
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