Photoreceptor differentiation in <i>Drosophila</i>: From immature neurons to functional photoreceptors

Mollereau, Bertrand; Domingos, Pedro

doi:10.1002/dvdy.20271

Cited by 40 publications

(34 citation statements)

References 71 publications

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“…After the passage of the morphogenetic furrow, the proneural transcription factor Atonal (Ato) triggers specification of the R8 PR precursors, which sequentially recruit other PR precursors into the developing ommatidia by EGFR signalling: first R2/R5, then R3/R4, R1/R6 and finally, R7 (Ready et al, 1976;Treisman, 2013). A number of genes that are differentially expressed in the distinct PR subtypes control their subtype identity, and regulate how these cells develop during metamorphosis into adult PRs (Mollereau and Domingos, 2005;Tsachaki and Sprecher, 2012;Treisman, 2013).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The transcription factor glass links eye field specification with photoreceptor differentiation in Drosophila

2016

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Eye development requires an evolutionarily conserved group of transcription factors, termed the retinal determination network (RDN). However, little is known about the molecular mechanism by which the RDN instructs cells to differentiate into photoreceptors. We show that photoreceptor cell identity in Drosophila is critically regulated by the transcription factor Glass, which is primarily expressed in photoreceptors and whose role in this process was previously unknown. Glass is both required and sufficient for the expression of phototransduction proteins. Our results demonstrate that the RDN member Sine oculis directly activates glass expression, and that Glass activates the expression of the transcription factors Hazy and Otd. We identified hazy as a direct target of Glass. Induced expression of Hazy in the retina partially rescues the glass mutant phenotype. Together, our results provide a transcriptional link between eye field specification and photoreceptor differentiation in Drosophila, placing Glass at a central position in this developmental process.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The transcription factor glass links eye field specification with photoreceptor differentiation in Drosophila

2016

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“…IPRs arise through continual restriction in cell fate (for reviews, see Bateman and McNeill, 2005;Freeman, 2005;Mollereau and Domingos, 2005;Wernet et al, 2006). The first restriction involves members of the Spalt (Sal) family of transcription factor-encoding genes, salm and salr (Mollereau et al, 2001).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Senseless functions as a molecular switch for color photoreceptor differentiation inDrosophila

et al. 2007

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A major question in development is how different specialized cell types arise from a common progenitor. In the adult Drosophila compound eye, color discrimination is achieved by UV-, blue-and green-sensitive photoreceptors (PRs). These different PR subsets arise from neuronal precursors called R7 and R8 cells. Recent studies have demonstrated that R7-based UV-sensitive PRs require the repression of R8-based blue/green-sensitive PR characteristics to properly develop. This repression is mediated by the transcription factor Prospero (Pros). Here, we report that Senseless (Sens), a Drosophila ortholog of the vertebrate Gfi1 transcription factor, plays an opposing role to Pros by both negatively regulating R7-based features and positively enforcing R8-based features during terminal differentiation. In addition, we demonstrate that Pros and Sens function together with the transcription factor Orthodenticle (Otd) to oppositely regulate R7 and R8 PR Rhodopsin gene expression in vitro. These data show that sens, previously shown to be essential for neuronal specification, also controls differentiation of specific neuronal subtypes in the retina. Interestingly, Pros has recently been shown to function as a tumor suppressor, whereas Gfi1 is a well-characterized oncogene. Thus, we propose that sens/pros antagonism is important for regulating many biological processes.

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“…The adult Drosophila eye consists of $800 regularly spaced unit eyes, called ommatidia. Each ommatidium contains 20 cells: 8 photoreceptor neurons (R1-R8) and 12 accessory cells (cone, pigment, and bristle cells) arranged in a stereotypical array (Ready et al 1976;Hsiung and Moses 2002;Mollereau and Domingos 2005), and each of which requires exquisite precision in their morphology for proper function. This morphological exactness requires precision in development.…”

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confidence: 99%

Identification of Novel Regulators of atonal Expression in the Developing Drosophila Retina

et al. 2008

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Atonal is a Drosophila proneural protein required for the proper formation of the R8 photoreceptor cell, the founding photoreceptor cell in the developing retina. Proper expression and refinement of the Atonal protein is essential for the proper formation of the Drosophila adult eye. In vertebrates, expression of transcription factors orthologous to Drosophila Atonal (MATH5/Atoh7, XATH5, and ATH5) and their progressive restriction are also involved in specifying the retinal ganglion cell, the founding neural cell type in the mammalian retina. Thus, identifying factors that are involved in regulating the expression of Atonal during development are important to fully understand how retinal neurogenesis is accomplished. We have performed a chemical mutagenesis screen for autosomal dominant enhancers of a loss-offunction atonal eye phenotype. We report here the identification of five genes required for proper Atonal expression, three of which are novel regulators of Atonal expression in the Drosophila retina. We characterize the role of the daughterless, kismet, and roughened eye genes on atonal transcriptional regulation in the developing retina and show that each gene regulates atonal transcription differently within the context of retinal development. Our results provide additional insights into the regulation of Atonal expression in the developing Drosophila retina.

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Photoreceptor differentiation in Drosophila: From immature neurons to functional photoreceptors

Cited by 40 publications

References 71 publications

The transcription factor glass links eye field specification with photoreceptor differentiation in Drosophila

The transcription factor glass links eye field specification with photoreceptor differentiation in Drosophila

Senseless functions as a molecular switch for color photoreceptor differentiation inDrosophila

Identification of Novel Regulators of atonal Expression in the Developing Drosophila Retina

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