Transcriptional regulation of atonal during development of the Drosophila peripheral nervous system

A single cell genomics atlas of the Drosophila larval eye reveals distinct photoreceptor developmental timelines

The Drosophila eye is a powerful model system to study the dynamics of cell differentiation, cell state transitions, cell maturation, and pattern formation. However, a high-resolution single cell genomics resource that accurately profiles all major cell types of the larval eye disc and their spatiotemporal relationships is lacking. Here, we report transcriptomic and chromatin accessibility data for all known cell types in the developing eye. Photoreceptors appear as strands of cells that represent their dynamic developmental timelines. As photoreceptor subtypes mature, they appear to assume a common transcriptomic profile that is dominated by genes involved in axon function. We identify cell type maturation genes, enhancers, and potential regulators, as well as genes with distinct R3 or R4 photoreceptor specific expression. Finally, we observe that the chromatin accessibility between cones and photoreceptors is distinct. These single cell genomics atlases will greatly enhance the power of the Drosophila eye as a model system.

A novel proneural function of Asense is integrated with the sequential actions of Delta-Notch, L'sc and Su(H) to promote the neuroepithelial to neuroblast transition

In order for neural progenitors (NPs) to generate distinct populations of neurons at the right time and place during CNS development, they must switch from undergoing purely proliferative, self-renewing divisions to neurogenic, asymmetric divisions in a tightly regulated manner. In the developing Drosophila optic lobe, neuroepithelial (NE) cells of the outer proliferation center (OPC) are progressively transformed into neurogenic NPs called neuroblasts (NBs) in a medial to lateral proneural wave. The cells undergoing this transition express Lethal of Scute (L'sc), a proneural transcription factor (TF) of the Acheate Scute Complex (AS-C). Here we show that there is also a peak of expression of Asense (Ase), another AS-C TF, in the cells neighboring those with transient L'sc expression. These peak of Ase cells help to identify a new transitional stage as they have lost NE markers and L'sc, they receive a strong Notch signal and barely exhibit NB markers. This expression of Ase is necessary and sufficient to promote the NE to NB transition in a more robust and rapid manner than that of l'sc gain of function or Notch loss of function. Thus, to our knowledge, these data provide the first direct evidence of a proneural role for Ase in CNS neurogenesis. Strikingly, we found that strong Delta-Notch signaling at the lateral border of the NE triggers l'sc expression, which in turn induces ase expression in the adjacent cells through the activation of Delta-Notch signaling. These results reveal two novel non-conventional actions of Notch signaling in driving the expression of proneural factors, in contrast to the repression that Notch signaling exerts on them during classical lateral inhibition. Finally, Suppressor of Hairless (Su(H)), which seems to be upregulated late in the transitioning cells and in NBs, represses l'sc and ase, ensuring their expression is transient. Thus, our data identify a key proneural role of Ase that is integrated with the sequential activities of Delta-Notch signaling, L'sc, and Su(H), driving the progressive transformation of NE cells into NBs.

Patterning of the Drosophila retina by the morphogenetic furrow

Pattern formation is the process by which cells within a homogeneous epithelial sheet acquire distinctive fates depending upon their relative spatial position to each other. Several proposals, starting with Alan Turing's diffusion-reaction model, have been put forth over the last 70 years to describe how periodic patterns like those of vertebrate somites and skin hairs, mammalian molars, fish scales, and avian feather buds emerge during development. One of the best experimental systems for testing said models and identifying the gene regulatory networks that control pattern formation is the compound eye of the fruit fly, Drosophila melanogaster. Its cellular morphogenesis has been extensively studied for more than a century and hundreds of mutants that affect its development have been isolated. In this review we will focus on the morphogenetic furrow, a wave of differentiation that takes an initially homogeneous sheet of cells and converts it into an ordered array of unit eyes or ommatidia. Since the discovery of the furrow in 1976, positive and negative acting morphogens have been thought to be solely responsible for propagating the movement of the furrow across a motionless field of cells. However, a recent study has challenged this model and instead proposed that mechanical driven cell flow also contributes to retinal pattern formation. We will discuss both models and their impact on patterning.

Single cell RNA sequencing of the adult Drosophila eye reveals distinct clusters and novel marker genes for all major cell types

The adult Drosophila eye is a powerful model system for phototransduction and neurodegeneration research. However, single cell resolution transcriptomic data are lacking for this tissue. We present single cell RNA-seq data on 1-day male and female, 3-day and 7-day old male adult eyes, covering early to mature adult eyes. All major cell types, including photoreceptors, cone and pigment cells in the adult eye were captured and identified. Our data sets identified novel cell type specific marker genes, some of which were validated in vivo. R7 and R8 photoreceptors form clusters that reflect their specific Rhodopsin expression and the specific Rhodopsin expression by each R7 and R8 cluster is the major determinant to their clustering. The transcriptomic data presented in this report will facilitate a deeper mechanistic understanding of the adult fly eye as a model system.

Hexagonal patterning of the Drosophila eye

A complex network of transcription factor interactions propagates across the larval eye disc to establish columns of evenly-spaced R8 precursor cells, the founding cells of Drosophila ommatidia. After the recruitment of additional photoreceptors to each ommatidium, the surrounding cells are organized into their stereotypical pattern during pupal development. These support cells - comprised of pigment and cone cells - are patterned to encapsulate the photoreceptors and separate ommatidia with an hexagonal honeycomb lattice. Since the proteins and processes essential for correct eye patterning are conserved, elucidating how these function and change during Drosophila eye patterning can substantially advance our understanding of transcription factor and signaling networks, cytoskeletal structures, adhesion complexes, and the biophysical properties of complex tissues during their morphogenesis. Our understanding of many of these aspects of Drosophila eye patterning is largely descriptive. Many important questions, especially relating to the regulation and integration of cellular events, remain.

Novel approach to quantitative spatial gene expression uncovers genetic stochasticity in the developing Drosophila eye

Robustness in development allows for the accumulation of genetically based variation in expression. However, this variation is usually examined in response to large perturbations, and examination of this variation has been limited to being spatial, or quantitative, but because of technical restrictions not both. Here we bridge these gaps by investigating replicated quantitative spatial gene expression using rigorous statistical models, in different genotypes, sexes, and species (Drosophila melanogaster and D. simulans). Using this type of quantitative approach with molecular developmental data allows for comparison among conditions, such as different genetic backgrounds. We apply this approach to the morphogenetic furrow, a wave of differentiation that patterns the developing eye disc. Within the morphogenetic furrow, we focus on four genes, hairy, atonal, hedgehog, and Delta. Hybridization chain reaction quantitatively measures spatial gene expression, co-staining for all four genes simultaneously. We find considerable variation in the spatial expression pattern of these genes in the eye between species, genotypes, and sexes. We also find that there has been evolution of the regulatory relationship between these genes, and that their spatial interrelationships have evolved between species. This variation has no phenotypic effect, and could be buffered by network thresholds or compensation from other genes. Both of these mechanisms could potentially be contributing to long term developmental systems drift.

Accurate elimination of superfluous attachment cells is critical for the construction of functional multicellular proprioceptors in Drosophila

Here, we show for the first time that developmental cell death plays a critical role in the morphogenesis of multicellular proprioceptors in Drosophila. The most prominent multicellular proprioceptive organ in the fly larva, the pentascolopidial (LCh5) organ, consists of a cluster of five stretch-responsive sensory organs that are anchored to the cuticle via specialized attachment cells. Stable attachment of the organ to the cuticle is critical for its ability to perceive mechanical stimuli arising from muscle contractions and the resulting displacement of its attachment sites. We now show that five attachment cells are born within the LCh5 lineage, but three of them are rapidly eliminated, normally, by apoptosis. Strong genetic evidence attests to the existence of an autophagic gene-dependent safeguard mechanism that guarantees elimination of the unwanted cells upon perturbation of the apoptotic pathway prior to caspase liberation. The removal of the three superfluous cells guarantees the right ratio between the number of sensory organs and the number of attachment cells that anchor them to the cuticle. This accurate matching seems imperative for the attachment of cell growth and functionality and is thus vital for normal morphogenesis and functionality of the sensory organ.

All in the family: proneural bHLH genes and neuronal diversity

Proneural basic Helix-Loop-Helix (bHLH) proteins are required for neuronal determination and the differentiation of most neural precursor cells. These transcription factors are expressed in vastly divergent organisms, ranging from sponges to primates. Here, we review proneural bHLH gene evolution and function in the Drosophila and vertebrate nervous systems, arguing that the Drosophila gene atonal provides a useful platform for understanding proneural gene structure and regulation. We also discuss how functional equivalency experiments using distinct proneural genes can reveal how proneural gene duplication and divergence are interwoven with neuronal complexity.

Topological and modality-specific representation of somatosensory information in the fly brain

Insects and mammals share similarities of neural organization underlying the perception of odors, taste, vision, sound, and gravity. We observed that insect somatosensation also corresponds to that of mammals. In Drosophila, the projections of all the somatosensory neuron types to the insect's equivalent of the spinal cord segregated into modality-specific layers comparable to those in mammals. Some sensory neurons innervate the ventral brain directly to form modality-specific and topological somatosensory maps. Ascending interneurons with dendrites in matching layers of the nerve cord send axons that converge to respective brain regions. Pathways arising from leg somatosensory neurons encode distinct qualities of leg movement information and play different roles in ground detection. Establishment of the ground pattern and genetic tools for neuronal manipulation should provide the basis for elucidating the mechanisms underlying somatosensation.

Analysis of transient hypermorphic activity of E(spl)D during R8 specification

Drosophila atonal (ato) is required for the specification of founding R8 photoreceptors during retinal development. ato is regulated via dual eye-specific enhancers; ato-3’ is subject to initial induction whereas 5’-ato facilitates Notch-mediated autoregulation. Notch is further utilized to induce bHLH repressors of the E(spl) locus to restrict Ato from its initial broad expression to individual cells. Although Notch operates in two, distinct phases, it has remained unclear how the two phases maintain independence from one another. The difference in these two phases has attributed to the hypothesized delayed expression of E(spl). However, immunofluorescence data indicate that E(spl) are expressed during early Ato patterning, suggesting a more sophisticated underlying mechanism. To probe this mechanism, we provide evidence that although E(spl) exert no influence on ato-3’, E(spl) repress 5’-ato and deletion of the E(spl) locus elicits precocious 5’-ato activity. Thus, E(spl) imposes a delay to the timing in which Ato initiates autoregulation. We next sought to understand this finding in the context of E(spl)^D, which encodes a dysregulated variant of E(spl)M8 that perturbs R8 patterning, though, as previously reported, only in conjunction with the mutant receptor N^spl. We established a genetic interaction between E(spl)^D and roughened eye (roe), a known modulator of Notch signaling in retinogenesis. This link further suggests a dosage-dependence between E(spl) and the proneural activators Ato and Sens, as indicated via interaction assays in which E(spl)^D renders aberrant R8 patterning in conjunction with reduced proneural dosage. In total, the biphasicity of Notch signaling relies, to some degree, on the post-translational regulation of individual E(spl) members and, importantly, that post-translational regulation is likely necessary to modulate the level of E(spl) activity throughout the progression of Ato expression.

Evolutionary changes in transcription factor coding sequence quantitatively alter sensory organ development and function

Animals are characterized by a set of highly conserved developmental regulators. Changes in the cis-regulatory elements of these regulators are thought to constitute the major driver of morphological evolution. However, the role of coding sequence evolution remains unresolved. To address this question, we used the Atonal family of proneural transcription factors as a model. Drosophila atonal coding sequence was endogenously replaced with that of atonal homologues (ATHs) at key phylogenetic positions, non-ATH proneural genes, and the closest homologue to ancestral proneural genes. ATHs and the ancestral-like coding sequences rescued sensory organ fate in atonal mutants, in contrast to non-ATHs. Surprisingly, different ATH factors displayed different levels of proneural activity as reflected by the number and functionality of sense organs. This proneural potency gradient correlated directly with ATH protein stability, including in response to Notch signaling, independently of mRNA levels or codon usage. This establishes a distinct and ancient function for ATHs and demonstrates that coding sequence evolution can underlie quantitative variation in sensory development and function.

DOI:http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.26402.001

Drosophila Protein Kinase CK2: Genetics, Regulatory Complexity and Emerging Roles during Development

CK2 is a Ser/Thr protein kinase that is highly conserved amongst all eukaryotes. It is a well-known oncogenic kinase that regulates vital cell autonomous functions and animal development. Genetic studies in the fruit fly Drosophila are providing unique insights into the roles of CK2 in cell signaling, embryogenesis, organogenesis, neurogenesis, and the circadian clock, and are revealing hitherto unknown complexities in CK2 functions and regulation. Here, we review Drosophila CK2 with respect to its structure, subunit diversity, potential mechanisms of regulation, developmental abnormalities linked to mutations in the gene encoding CK2 subunits, and emerging roles in multiple aspects of eye development. We examine the Drosophila CK2 "interaction map" and the eye-specific "transcriptome" databases, which raise the prospect that this protein kinase has many additional targets in the developing eye. We discuss the possibility that CK2 functions during early retinal neurogenesis in Drosophila and mammals bear greater similarity than has been recognized, and that this conservation may extend to other developmental programs. Together, these studies underscore the immense power of the Drosophila model organism to provide new insights and avenues to further investigate developmentally relevant targets of this protein kinase.

Distinct regulation of atonal in a visual organ of Drosophila: Organ-specific enhancer and lack of autoregulation in the larval eye

Drosophila has three types of visual organs, the larval eyes or Bolwig's organs (BO), the ocelli (OC) and the compound eyes (CE). In all, the bHLH protein Atonal (Ato) functions as the proneural factor for photoreceptors and effects the transition from progenitor cells to differentiating neurons. In this work, we investigate the regulation of ato expression in the BO primordium (BOP). Surprisingly, we find that ato transcription in the BOP is entirely independent of the shared regulatory DNA for the developing CE and OC. The core enhancer for BOP expression, ato^BO, lies ~6kb upstream of the ato gene, in contrast to the downstream location of CE and OC regulatory elements. Moreover, maintenance of ato expression in the neuronal precursors through autoregulation-a common and ancient feature of ato expression that is well-documented in eyes, ocelli and chordotonal organs-does not occur in the BO. We also show that the ato^BO enhancer contains two binding sites for the transcription factor Sine oculis (So), a core component of the progenitor specification network in all three visual organs. These binding sites function in vivo and are specifically bound by So in vitro. Taken together, our findings reveal that the control of ato transcription in the evolutionarily derived BO has diverged considerably from ato regulation in the more ancestral compound eyes and ocelli, to the extent of acquiring what appears to be a distinct and evolutionarily novel cis-regulatory module.

Shared and distinct mechanisms of atonal regulation in Drosophila ocelli and compound eyes

The fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster has two types of external visual organs, a pair of compound eyes and a group of three ocelli. At the time of neurogenesis, the proneural transcription factor Atonal mediates the transition from progenitor cells to differentiating photoreceptor neurons in both organs. In the developing compound eye, atonal (ato) expression is directly induced by transcriptional regulators that confer retinal identity, the Retinal Determination (RD) factors. Little is known, however, about control of ato transcription in the ocelli. Here we show that a 2kb genomic DNA fragment contains distinct and common regulatory elements necessary for ato induction in compound eyes and ocelli. The three binding sites that mediate direct regulation by the RD factors Sine oculis and Eyeless in the compound eye are also required in the ocelli. However, in the latter, these sites mediate control by Sine oculis and the other Pax6 factor of Drosophila, Twin of eyeless, which can bind the Pax6 sites in vitro. Moreover, the three sites are differentially utilized in the ocelli: all three are similarly essential for atonal induction in the posterior ocelli, but show considerable redundancy in the anterior ocellus. Strikingly, this difference parallels the distinct control of ato transcription in the posterior and anterior progenitors of the developing compound eyes. From a comparative perspective, our findings suggest that the ocelli of arthropods may have originated through spatial partitioning from the dorsal edge of an ancestral compound eye.

The Conserved MAPK Site in E(spl)-M8, an Effector of Drosophila Notch Signaling, Controls Repressor Activity during Eye Development

The specification of patterned R8 photoreceptors at the onset of eye development depends on timely inhibition of Atonal (Ato) by the Enhancer of split (E(spl) repressors. Repression of Ato by E(spl)-M8 requires the kinase CK2 and is inhibited by the phosphatase PP2A. The region targeted by CK2 harbors additional conserved Ser residues, raising the prospect of regulation via multi-site phosphorylation. Here we investigate one such motif that meets the consensus for modification by MAPK, a well-known effector of Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor (EGFR) signaling. Our studies reveal an important role for the predicted MAPK site of M8 during R8 birth. Ala/Asp mutations reveal that the CK2 and MAPK sites ensure that M8 repression of Ato and the R8 fate occurs in a timely manner and at a specific stage (stage-2/3) of the morphogenetic furrow (MF). M8 repression of Ato is mitigated by halved EGFR dosage, and this effect requires an intact MAPK site. Accordingly, variants with a phosphomimetic Asp at the MAPK site exhibit earlier (inappropriate) activity against Ato even at stage-1 of the MF, where a positive feedback-loop is necessary to raise Ato levels to a threshold sufficient for the R8 fate. Analysis of deletion variants reveals that both kinase sites (CK2 and MAPK) contribute to ‘cis’-inhibition of M8. This key regulation by CK2 and MAPK is bypassed by the E(spl)D mutation encoding the truncated protein M8*, which potently inhibits Ato at stage-1 of R8 birth. We also provide evidence that PP2A likely targets the MAPK site. Thus multi-site phosphorylation controls timely onset of M8 repressor activity in the eye, a regulation that appears to be dispensable in the bristle. The high conservation of the CK2 and MAPK sites in the insect E(spl) proteins M7, M5 and Mγ, and their mammalian homologue HES6, suggest that this mode of regulation may enable E(spl)/HES proteins to orchestrate repression by distinct tissue-specific mechanisms, and is likely to have broader applicability than has been previously recognized.

ESCRT-0 complex modulates Rbf-mutant cell survival by regulating Rhomboid endosomal trafficking and EGFR signaling

The Rb tumor suppressor is conserved in Drosophila, and its inactivation can lead to cell proliferation or death depending on the specific cellular context. Therefore, identifying genes that affect the survival of Rb-mutant cells can potentially identify novel targets for therapeutic intervention in cancer. From a genetic screen in Drosophila, we identified synthetic lethal interactions between mutations of fly Rb (rbf) and the ESCRT-0 components stam and hrs We show that inactivation of ESCRT-0 sensitizes rbf-mutant cells to undergo apoptosis through inhibition of EGFR signaling and accumulation of Hid protein. Mutation of stam inhibits EGFR signaling upstream of secreted Spi and downstream of Rhomboid expression, and causes Rhomboid protein to accumulate in the abnormal endosomes labeled with both the early and late endosomal markers Rab5 and Rab7. These results reveal that ESCRT-0 mutants inhibit EGFR signaling by disrupting Rhomboid endosomal trafficking in the ligand-producing cells. Because ESCRT-0 also plays crucial roles in EGFR downregulation after ligand binding, this study provides new insights into how loss of ESCRT-0 function can either increase or decrease EGFR signaling.

Groucho restricts rhomboid expression and couples EGFR activation with R8 selection during Drosophila photoreceptor differentiation

Notch and EGFR signaling pathways play important roles in photoreceptor differentiation during Drosophila eye development. Notch signaling induces Enhancer of Split (E(spl)) proteins to repress atonal (ato) expression and restrict R8 photoreceptor cell fate. The R8 precursors express rhomboid (rho), which is required for the release of active EGFR ligand to activate EGFR signaling in surrounding cells for the subsequent stepwise recruitment. However, it is not clear about the mechanisms of transcriptional regulation of rho and how the lateral inhibition of Notch signaling and rho expression are coordinated. In this study, we show that inactivation of Groucho (Gro), an evolutionally conserved transcriptional corepressor, inhibits Ato upregulation, delays R8 determination, and promotes differentiation of R2-5 type of neurons. We demonstrate that these phenotypes are caused by a combination of the loss of Notch-mediated lateral inhibition and the precocious activation of EGFR signaling due to deregulated rho expression. Blocking EGFR signaling by Pnt-RNAi in conjunction with Gro-inactivation leads to lateral inhibition defects with deregulated Ato expression and R8 differentiation. We further show that inactivation of E(spl), which are the Gro binding transcription factors, causes deregulated rho expression and extra R8 cells within and posterior to the morphogenetic furrow (MF), and that E(spl) mediates the binding of Gro to the regulatory regions of both rho and ato genes in eye disc cells. Our results suggest that Gro inhibits rho expression in undifferentiated cells and represses the expression of both ato and rho in non-R8 precursors during initiation of photoreceptor differentiation in an E(spl)-dependent manner. The latter function of Gro provides novel insights into the mechanism that coordinates R8 specification with the restriction of initial rho expression to developing R8 cells.

Rhomboid Enhancer Activity Defines a Subset of Drosophila Neural Precursors Required for Proper Feeding, Growth and Viability

Organismal growth regulation requires the interaction of multiple metabolic, hormonal and neuronal pathways. While the molecular basis for many of these are well characterized, less is known about the developmental origins of growth regulatory structures and the mechanisms governing control of feeding and satiety. For these reasons, new tools and approaches are needed to link the specification and maturation of discrete cell populations with their subsequent regulatory roles. In this study, we characterize a rhomboid enhancer element that selectively labels four Drosophila embryonic neural precursors. These precursors give rise to the hypopharyngeal sensory organ of the peripheral nervous system and a subset of neurons in the deutocerebral region of the embryonic central nervous system. Post embryogenesis, the rhomboid enhancer is active in a subset of cells within the larval pharyngeal epithelium. Enhancer-targeted toxin expression alters the morphology of the sense organ and results in impaired larval growth, developmental delay, defective anterior spiracle eversion and lethality. Limiting the duration of toxin expression reveals differences in the critical periods for these effects. Embryonic expression causes developmental defects and partially penetrant pre-pupal lethality. Survivors of embryonic expression, however, ultimately become viable adults. In contrast, post-embryonic toxin expression results in fully penetrant lethality. To better define the larval growth defect, we used a variety of assays to demonstrate that toxin-targeted larvae are capable of locating, ingesting and clearing food and they exhibit normal food search behaviors. Strikingly, however, following food exposure these larvae show a rapid decrease in consumption suggesting a satiety-like phenomenon that correlates with the period of impaired larval growth. Together, these data suggest a critical role for these enhancer-defined lineages in regulating feeding, growth and viability.

ato-Gal4 fly lines for gene function analysis: Eya is required in late progenitors for eye morphogenesis

The Gal4/UAS system is one of the most powerful tools for the study of cellular and developmental processes in Drosophila. Gal4 drivers can be used to induce targeted expression of dominant-negative and dominant-active proteins, histological markers, activity sensors, gene-specific dsRNAs, modulators of cell survival or proliferation, and other reagents. Here, we describe novel atonal-Gal4 lines that contain regions of the regulatory DNA of atonal, the proneural gene for photoreceptors, stretch receptors, auditory organ, and some olfactory sensilla. During neurogenesis, the atonal gene is expressed at a critical juncture, a time of transition from progenitor cell to developing neuron. Thus, these lines are particularly well suited for the study of the transcription factors and signaling molecules orchestrating this critical transition. To demonstrate their usefulness, we focus on two visual organs, the eye and the Bolwig. We demonstrate the induction of predicted eye phenotypes when expressing the dominant-negative EGF receptor or a dsRNA against Notch in the developing eye disc. In another example, we show the deletion of the Bolwig's organ using the proapoptotic factor Hid. Finally, we investigate the function of the eye specification factor Eyes absent or Eya in late retinal progenitors, shortly before they begin morphogenesis. We show that Eya is still required in these late progenitors to promote eye formation, and show failure to induce the target gene atonal and consequent lack of neuron formation.

Eye selector logic for a coordinated cell cycle exit

Organ-selector transcription factors control simultaneously cell differentiation and proliferation, ensuring the development of functional organs and their homeostasis. How this is achieved at the molecular level is still unclear. Here we have investigated how the transcriptional pulse of string/cdc25 (stg), the universal mitotic trigger, is regulated during Drosophila retina development as an example of coordinated deployment of differentiation and proliferation programs. We identify the eye specific stg enhancer, stg-FMW, and show that Pax6 selector genes, in cooperation with Eya and So, two members of the retinal determination network, activate stg-FMW, establishing a positive feed-forward loop. This loop is negatively modulated by the Meis1 protein, Hth. This regulatory logic is reminiscent of that controlling the expression of differentiation transcription factors. Our work shows that subjecting transcription factors and key cell cycle regulators to the same regulatory logic ensures the coupling between differentiation and proliferation programs during organ development.

Organs develop from groups of undifferentiated cells that proliferate and differentiate into specific cell types. During development, the coupling between proliferation and differentiation programs ensures that enough cells of the different cell types are generated. This is critical for proper organ formation and function. Here, we use the developing Drosophila eye to examine how the coupling between these two programs is achieved. During eye development, progenitors are amplified before they exit the cell cycle and enter the differentiation program. This amplification step depends on an expression burst of the mitotic trigger string/cdc25, which, by forcing cells into mitosis, synchronizes cells in G1 just before differentiation onset. Thus string regulation acts as a hub where differentiation and proliferation programs are integrated. We identify a DNA element that controls the burst of string expression prior to differentiation, and show that it is regulated by the same gene network that triggers eye development. The transcription factor Pax6/Eyeless is a key regulator in this network. Eyeless acts cooperatively with Sine oculis and Eyes absent to regulate string, through a positive feed-forward loop. This loop is negatively modulated by the progenitor-specific transcription factor Homothorax/Meis1. This work shows that transcription factors that instruct cells to acquire an eye fate also control their proliferation regime, thus guaranteeing the coupling between proliferation and differentiation.

Nemo promotes Notch-mediated lateral inhibition downstream of proneural factors

During neurogenesis, conserved tissue-specific proneural factors establish a cell's competence to take on neural fate from within a field of unspecified cells. Proneural genes encode basic helix-loop-helix transcription factors that promote the expression of 'core' and subtype-specific target genes. Target genes include both pan-neuronal genes and genes that aid in the process of refinement, known as lateral inhibition. In this process, proneural gene expression is increased in the neural progenitor while simultaneously down-regulated in the surrounding cells, in a Notch signalling-dependent manner. Here, we identify nemo (nmo) as a target of members of both Drosophila Atonal and Achaete-Scute proneural factor families and find that mammalian proneural homologs induce Nemo-like-kinase (Nlk) expression in cell culture. We find that nmo loss of function leads to reduced expression of Notch targets and to perturbations in Notch-mediated lateral inhibition. Furthermore, Notch hyperactivity can compensate for nmo loss in the Drosophila eye. Thus nmo promotes Notch-mediated lateral inhibition downstream of proneural factors during neurogenesis.

The Ser/Thr phosphatase PP2A regulatory subunit widerborst inhibits notch signaling

Drosophila Enhancer of split M8, an effector of Notch signaling, is regulated by protein kinase CK2. The phosphatase PP2A is thought to play an opposing (inhibitory) role, but the identity of the regulatory subunit was unknown. The studies described here reveal a role for the PP2A regulatory subunit widerborst (wdb) in three developmental contexts; the bristle, wing and the R8 photoreceptors of the eye. wdb overexpression elicits bristle and wing defects akin to reduced Notch signaling, whereas hypomorphic mutations in this PP2A subunit elicit opposite effects. We have also evaluated wdb functions using mutations in Notch and E(spl) that affect the eye. We find that the eye and R8 defects of the well-known Nspl mutation are enhanced by a hypomorphic allele of wdb, whereas they are strongly rescued by wdb overexpression. Similarly, ectopic wdb rescues the eye and R8 defects of the E(spl)D mutation, which affects the m8 gene. In addition, wdb overexpression also rescues the bristle defects of ectopically expressed M8, or the eye and R8 defects of its CK2 phosphomimetic variant M8-S159D. The latter finding suggests that PP2A may target M8 at highly conserved residues in the vicinity of the CK2 site, whose phosphorylation controls repression of Atonal and the R8 fate. Together, the studies identify PP2A-Wdb as a participant in Notch signaling, and suggest that M8 activity is controlled by phosphorylation and dephosphorylation. The conservation of the phosphorylation sites between Drosophila E(spl) and the HES/HER proteins from mammals, reptiles, amphibians, birds and fish raises the prospect that this mode of regulation is widespread.

Daughterless homodimer synergizes with Eyeless to induce Atonal expression and retinal neuron differentiation

Class I Basic Helix-Loop-Helix (bHLH) transcription factors form homodimers or heterodimers with class II bHLH proteins. While bHLH heterodimers are known to have diverse roles, little is known about the role of class I homodimers. In this manuscript, we show that a linked dimer of Daughterless (Da), the only Drosophila class I bHLH protein, activates Atonal (Ato) expression and retinal neuron differentiation synergistically with the retinal determination factor Eyeless (Ey). The HLH protein Extramacrocheate (Emc), which forms heterodimer with Da, antagonizes the synergistic activation from Da but not the Da-Da linked dimer with Ey. We show that Da directly interacts with Ey and promotes Ey binding to the Ey binding site in the Ato 3׳ enhancer. Interestingly, the Ey binding site in the Ato 3׳ enhancer contains an embedded E-box that is also required for the synergistic activation by Ey and Da. Finally we show that mammalian homologs of Ey and Da can functionally replace their Drosophila counterparts to synergistically activate the Ato enhancer, suggesting that the observed function is evolutionary conserved.

Onset of atonal expression in Drosophila retinal progenitors involves redundant and synergistic contributions of Ey/Pax6 and So binding sites within two distant enhancers

Proneural transcription factors drive the generation of specialized neurons during nervous system development, and their dynamic expression pattern is critical to their function. The activation of the proneural gene atonal (ato) in the Drosophila eye disc epithelium represents a critical step in the transition from retinal progenitor cell to developing photoreceptor neuron. We show here that the onset of ato transcription depends on two distant enhancers that function differently in subsets of retinal progenitor cells. A detailed analysis of the crosstalk between these enhancers identifies a critical role for three binding sites for the Retinal Determination factors Eyeless (Ey) and Sine oculis (So). We show how these sites interact to induce ato expression in distinct regions of the eye field and confirm them to be occupied by endogenous Ey and So proteins in vivo. Our study suggests that Ey and So operate differently through the same 3' cis-regulatory sites in distinct populations of retinal progenitors.

The role of Atonal transcription factors in the development of mechanosensitive cells

Mechanosensation is an evolutionarily ancient sensory modality seen in all main animal groups. Mechanosensation can be mediated by sensory neurons or by dedicated receptor cells that form synapses with sensory neurons. Evidence over the last 15-20 years suggests that both classes of mechanosensory cells can be specified by the atonal class of basic helix-loop-helix transcription factors. In this review we discuss recent work addressing how atonal factors specify mechanosensitive cells in vertebrates and invertebrates, and how the redeployment of these factors underlies the regeneration of mechanosensitive cells in some vertebrate groups.

Extramacrochaetae imposes order on the Drosophila eye by refining the activity of the Hedgehog signaling gradient

The compound eye of Drosophila melanogaster is configured by a differentiating wave, the morphogenetic furrow, that sweeps across the eye imaginal disc and transforms thousands of undifferentiated cells into a precisely ordered repetitive array of 800 ommatidia. The initiation of the furrow at the posterior margin of the epithelium and its subsequent movement across the eye field is controlled by the activity of the Hedgehog (Hh) signaling pathway. Differentiating photoreceptors that lie behind the furrow produce and secrete the Hh morphogen, which is captured by cells within the furrow itself. This leads to the stabilization of the full-length form of the zinc-finger transcription factor Cubitus interruptus (Ci(155)), the main effector of Hh signaling. Ci(155) functions as a transcriptional activator of a number of downstream targets, including decapentaplegic (dpp), a TGFβ homolog. In this report, we describe a mechanism that is in place within the fly retina to limit Hh pathway activity within and ahead of the furrow. We demonstrate that the helix-loop-helix (HLH) protein Extramacrochaetae (Emc) regulates Ci(155) levels. Loss of emc leads to an increase in Ci(155) levels, nuclear migration, apical cell constriction and an acceleration of the furrow. We find that these roles are distinct from the bHLH protein Hairy (H), which we show restricts atonal (ato) expression ahead of the furrow. Secondary furrow initiation along the dorsal and ventral margins is blocked by the activity of the Wingless (Wg) pathway. We also show that Emc regulates and cooperates with Wg signaling to inhibit lateral furrow initiation.

Retinal differentiation in Drosophila

Drosophila eye development has been extensively studied, due to the ease of genetic screens for mutations disrupting this process. The eye imaginal disc is specified during embryonic and larval development by the Pax6 homolog Eyeless and a network of downstream transcription factors. Expression of these factors is regulated by signaling molecules and also indirectly by growth of the eye disc. Differentiation of photoreceptor clusters initiates in the third larval instar at the posterior of the eye disc and progresses anteriorly, driven by the secreted protein Hedgehog. Within each cluster, the combined activities of Hedgehog signaling and Notch-mediated lateral inhibition induce and refine the expression of the transcription factor Atonal, which specifies the founding R8 photoreceptor of each ommatidium. Seven additional photoreceptors, followed by cone and pigment cells, are successively recruited by the signaling molecules Spitz, Delta, and Bride of sevenless. Combinations of these signals and of intrinsic transcription factors give each ommatidial cell its specific identity. During the pupal stages, rhodopsins are expressed, and the photoreceptors and accessory cells take on their final positions and morphologies to form the adult retina. Over the past few decades, the genetic analysis of this small number of cell types arranged in a repetitive structure has allowed a remarkably detailed understanding of the basic mechanisms controlling cell differentiation and morphological rearrangement.

Analysis of the transcriptomes downstream of Eyeless and the Hedgehog, Decapentaplegic and Notch signaling pathways in Drosophila melanogaster

Tissue-specific transcription factors are thought to cooperate with signaling pathways to promote patterned tissue specification, in part by co-regulating transcription. The Drosophila melanogaster Pax6 homolog Eyeless forms a complex, incompletely understood regulatory network with the Hedgehog, Decapentaplegic and Notch signaling pathways to control eye-specific gene expression. We report a combinatorial approach, including mRNAseq and microarray analyses, to identify targets co-regulated by Eyeless and Hedgehog, Decapentaplegic or Notch. Multiple analyses suggest that the transcriptomes resulting from co-misexpression of Eyeless+signaling factors provide a more complete picture of eye development compared to previous efforts involving Eyeless alone: (1) Principal components analysis and two-way hierarchical clustering revealed that the Eyeless+signaling factor transcriptomes are closer to the eye control transcriptome than when Eyeless is misexpressed alone; (2) more genes are upregulated at least three-fold in response to Eyeless+signaling factors compared to Eyeless alone; (3) based on gene ontology analysis, the genes upregulated in response to Eyeless+signaling factors had a greater diversity of functions compared to Eyeless alone. Through a secondary screen that utilized RNA interference, we show that the predicted gene CG4721 has a role in eye development. CG4721 encodes a neprilysin family metalloprotease that is highly up-regulated in response to Eyeless+Notch, confirming the validity of our approach. Given the similarity between D. melanogaster and vertebrate eye development, the large number of novel genes identified as potential targets of Ey+signaling factors will provide novel insights to our understanding of eye development in D. melanogaster and humans.

Building an ommatidium one cell at a time

Since the discovery of a single white-eyed male in a population of red eyed flies over 100 years ago (Morgan, 1910), the compound eye of the fruit fly, Drosophila melanogaster, has been a favorite experimental system for identifying genes that regulate various aspects of development. For example, a fair amount of what we know today about enzymatic pathways and vesicular transport is due to the discovery and subsequent characterization of eye color mutants such as white. Likewise, our present day understanding of organogenesis has been aided considerably by studies of mutations, such as eyeless, that either reduce or eliminate the compound eyes. But by far the phenotype that has provided levers into the greatest number of experimental fields has been the humble "rough" eye. The fly eye is composed of several hundred unit-eyes that are also called ommatidia. These unit eyes are packed into a hexagonal array of remarkable precision. The structure of the eye is so precise that it has been compared with that of a crystal (Ready et al., 1976). Even the slightest perturbations to the structure of the ommatidium can be visually detected by light or electron microscopy. The cause for this is two-fold: (1) any defect that affects the hexagonal geometry of a single ommatidium can and will disrupt the positioning of surrounding unit eyes thereby propagating structural flaws and (2) disruptions in genes that govern the development of even a single cell within an ommatidium will affect all unit eyes. In both cases, the effect is the visual magnification of even the smallest imperfection. Studies of rough eye mutants have provided key insights into the areas of cell fate specification, lateral inhibition, signal transduction, transcription factor networks, planar cell polarity, cell proliferation, and programmed cell death just to name a few. This review will attempt to summarize the key steps that are required to assemble each ommatidium.

Distribution and function of splash, an achaete-scute homolog in the adult olfactory organ of the Caribbean spiny lobster Panulirus argus

achaete-scute complex (ASC) genes, which encode basic helix-loop-helix transcription factors, regulate embryonic and adult neurogenesis in many animals. In adult arthropods, including crustaceans, ASC homologs have been identified but rarely functionally characterized. We took advantage of the recently identified crustacean homolog, splash (spiny lobster achaete scute homolog), in the olfactory organ of the Caribbean spiny lobster Panulirus argus to examine its role in adult neurogenesis. We tested the hypothesis that splash is associated with but not restricted to sensory neuron formation in the olfactory organ, the antennular lateral flagellum (LF), of adult spiny lobsters. We demonstrated splash labeling in epithelial cells across LF developmental zones (i.e., proliferation and mature zones), in auxiliary cells surrounding dendrites of olfactory receptor neurons (ORNs), and in immature and mature ORNs, but not in granulocytes or chromatophores. Since ORN proliferation varies with molt stage, we examined splash expression across molt stages and found that molt stage affected splash expression in the ORN mature zone but not in the proliferation zone. In vivo incorporation of bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU) showed no correlation in the cellular pattern of splash expression and BrdU labeling. The intensity of splash labeling was dramatically enhanced in the proliferation zones following LF damage, suggesting enhanced splash expression during repair and/or regeneration. We conclude that splash is not closely associated with the formation of sensory neurons under normal physiological conditions, and we propose that splash is involved in repair and regeneration. We also propose that splash has additional roles other than neurogenesis in adult crustaceans.

Drosophila lilliputian is required for proneural gene expression in retinal development

BACKGROUND

Proper neurogenesis in the developing Drosophila retina requires the regulated expression of the basic helix-loop-helix (bHLH) proneural transcription factors Atonal (Ato) and Daughterless (Da). Factors that control the timing and spatial expression of these bHLH proneural genes in the retina are required for the proper formation and function of the adult eye and nervous system.

RESULTS

Here we report that lilliputian (lilli), the Drosophila homolog of the FMR2/AF4 family of proteins, regulates the transcription of ato and da in the developing fly retina. We find that lilli controls ato expression at multiple enhancer elements. We also find that lilli contributes to ato auto-regulation in the morphogenetic furrow by first regulating the expression of da prior to ato. We show that FMR2 regulates the ato and da homologs MATH5 and TCF12 in human cells, suggesting a conservation of this regulation from flies to humans.

CONCLUSIONS

We conclude that lilliputian is part of the genetic program that regulates the expression of proneural genes in the developing retina.

A network of broadly expressed HLH genes regulates tissue-specific cell fates

Spatial and temporal expression of specific basic-helix-loop-helix (bHLH) transcription factors defines many types of cellular differentiation. We find that a distinct mechanism regulates the much broader expression of the heterodimer partners of these specific factors and impinges on differentiation. In Drosophila, a cross-interacting regulatory network links expression of the E protein Daughterless (Da), which heterodimerizes with bHLH proteins to activate them, with expression of the Id protein Extramacrochaetae (Emc), which antagonizes bHLH proteins. Coupled transcriptional feedback loops maintain the widespread Emc expression that restrains Da expression, opposing bHLH-dependent differentiation while enhancing growth and cell survival. Where extracellular signals repress emc, Da expression can increase. This defines regions of proneural ectoderm independently from the proneural bHLH genes. Similar regulation is found in multiple Drosophila tissues and in mammalian cells and therefore is likely to be a conserved general feature of developmental regulation by HLH proteins.

Sox2 and Fgf interact with Atoh1 to promote sensory competence throughout the zebrafish inner ear

Atoh1 is required for differentiation of sensory hair cells in the vertebrate inner ear. Moreover, misexpression of Atoh1 is sufficient to establish ectopic sensory epithelia, making Atoh1 a good candidate for gene therapy to restore hearing. However, competence to form sensory epithelia appears to be limited to discrete regions of the inner ear. To better understand the developmental factors influencing sensory-competence, we examined the effects of misexpressing atoh1a in zebrafish embryos under various developmental conditions. Activation of a heat shock-inducible transgene, hs:atoh1a, resulted in ectopic expression of early markers of sensory development within 2h, and mature hair cells marked by brn3c:GFP began to accumulate 9h after heat shock. The ability of atoh1a to induce ectopic sensory epithelia was maximal when activated during placodal or early otic vesicle stages but declined rapidly thereafter. At no stage was atoh1a sufficient to induce sensory development in dorsal or lateral non-sensory regions of the otic vesicle. However, co-misexpression of atoh1a with fgf3, fgf8 or sox2, genes normally acting in the same gene network with atoh1a, stimulated sensory development in all regions of the otic vesicle. Thus, expression of fgf3, fgf8 or sox2 strongly enhances competence to respond to Atoh1.

A dynamical model of ommatidial crystal formation

The crystalline photoreceptor lattice in the Drosophila eye is a paradigm for pattern formation during development. During eye development, activation of proneural genes at a moving front adds new columns to a regular lattice of R8 photoreceptors. We present a mathematical model of the governing activator-inhibitor system, which indicates that the dynamics of positive induction play a central role in the selection of certain cells as R8s. The "switch and template" patterning mechanism we observe is mathematically very different from the well-known Turing instability. Unlike a standard lateral inhibition model, our picture implies that R8s are defined before the appearance of the complete group of proneural cells. The model reproduces the full time course of proneural gene expression and accounts for specific features of the refinement of proneural groups that had resisted explanation. It moreover predicts that perturbing the normal template can lead to eyes containing stripes of R8 cells. We observed these stripes experimentally after manipulation of the Notch and scabrous genes. Our results suggest an alternative to the generally assumed mode of operation for lateral inhibition during development; more generally, they hint at a broader role for bistable switches in the initial establishment of patterns as well as in their maintenance.

Retinal determination genes function along with cell-cell signals to regulate Drosophila eye development: examples of multi-layered regulation by master regulators

It is thought that retinal determination (RD) gene products define the response made to cell-cell signals in the field of eye development by binding to enhancers of genes that are also regulated by cell-cell signaling pathways. In Drosophila, RD genes, including eyeless, teashirt, eyes absent, dachsous, and sine oculis, are required for normal eye development and can induce ectopic eyes when mis-expressed. Characterization of the enhancers responsible for eye expression of the hedgehog, shaven, and atonal genes, as well as the dynamics of RD gene expression themselves, now suggest a multilayered network whereby transcriptional regulation by either RD genes or cell-cell signaling pathways can sometimes be indirect and mediated by other transcription factor intermediates. In this updated view of the interaction between extracellular information and cell intrinsic programs during development, regulation of individual genes might sometimes be several steps removed from either the RD genes or the cell-cell signaling pathways that nevertheless govern their expression.

Hedgehog targets in the Drosophila embryo and the mechanisms that generate tissue-specific outputs of Hedgehog signaling

Paracrine Hedgehog (Hh) signaling regulates growth and patterning in many Drosophila organs. We mapped chromatin binding sites for Cubitus interruptus (Ci), the transcription factor that mediates outputs of Hh signal transduction, and we analyzed transcription profiles of control and mutant embryos to identify genes that are regulated by Hh. Putative targets that we identified included several Hh pathway components, mostly previously identified targets, and many targets that are novel. Every Hh target we analyzed that is not a pathway component appeared to be regulated by Hh in a tissue-specific manner; analysis of expression patterns of pathway components and target genes provided evidence of autocrine Hh signaling in the optic primordium of the embryo. We present evidence that tissue specificity of Hh targets depends on transcription factors that are Hh-independent, suggesting that `pre-patterns' of transcription factors partner with Ci to make Hh-dependent gene expression position specific.

Differential regulation of transcription through distinct Suppressor of Hairless DNA binding site architectures during Notch signaling in proneural clusters

In Drosophila melanogaster, achaete (ac) and m8 are model basic helix-loop-helix activator (bHLH A) and repressor genes, respectively, that have the opposite cell expression pattern in proneural clusters during Notch signaling. Previous studies have shown that activation of m8 transcription in specific cells within proneural clusters by Notch signaling is programmed by a "combinatorial" and "architectural" DNA transcription code containing binding sites for the Su(H) and proneural bHLH A proteins. Here we show the novel result that the ac promoter contains a similar combinatorial code of Su(H) and bHLH A binding sites but contains a different Su(H) site architectural code that does not mediate activation during Notch signaling, thus programming a cell expression pattern opposite that of m8 in proneural clusters.

Switch and template pattern formation in a discrete reaction-diffusion system inspired by the Drosophila eye

We examine a spatially discrete reaction-diffusion model based on the interactions that create a periodic pattern in the Drosophila eye imaginal disc. This model is known to be capable of generating a regular hexagonal pattern of gene expression behind a moving front, as observed in the fly system. In order to better understand the novel "switch and template" mechanism behind this pattern formation, we present here a detailed study of the model's behavior in one dimension, using a combination of analytic methods and numerical searches of parameter space. We find that patterns are created robustly, provided that there is an appropriate separation of timescales and that self-activation is sufficiently strong, and we derive expressions in this limit for the front speed and the pattern wavelength. Moving fronts in pattern-forming systems near an initial linear instability generically select a unique pattern, but our model operates in a strongly nonlinear regime where the final pattern depends on the initial conditions as well as on parameter values. Our work highlights the important role that cellularization and cell-autonomous feedback can play in biological pattern formation.

The role of bHLH genes in ear development and evolution: revisiting a 10-year-old hypothesis

In mouse ear development, two bHLH genes, Atoh1 and Neurog1, are essential for hair cell and sensory neuron differentiation. Evolution converted the original simple atonal-dependent neurosensory cell formation program of diploblasts into the derived developmental program of vertebrates that generates two neurosensory cell types, the sensory neuron and the sensory hair cell. This transformation was achieved through gene multiplication in ancestral triploblasts resulting in the expansion of the atonal bHLH gene family. Novel genes of the Neurogenin and NeuroD families are upregulated prior to the expression of Atoh1. Recent data suggest that NeuroD and Neurogenin were lost or their function in neuronal specification reduced in flies, thus changing our perception of the evolution of these genes. This sequence of expression changes was accompanied by modification of the E-box binding sites of these genes to regulate different downstream genes and to form inhibitory loops among each other, thus fine-tuning expression transitions.

Two themes on the assembly of the Drosophila eye

Cells are sequentially recruited during formation of the Drosophila compound eye. A few simple rules are reiteratively utilized to control successive steps of eye assembly. Two themes emerge: the interplay between cell signaling and competence determines diversity of cell types and selective cell adhesion determines spatial patterns of cells. Cell signaling through competence creates signaling relays, which sequentially trigger differentiation of all cell types. Selective cell adhesion, on the other hand, provides forces to drive cells into energy-favored spatial configurations. Organ formation is nevertheless a complex process. The complexity lies in the spatial, temporal, and quantitative precision of gene expression. Many challenging questions remain.

Evidence that the C-terminal domain (CtD) autoinhibits neural repression by Drosophila E(spl)M8

Analysis of the retinal defects of a CK2 phosphomimetic variant of E(spl)M8 (M8S(159)D) and the truncated protein M8* encoded by the E(spl)D allele, suggest that the nonphosphorylated CtD "autoinhibits" repression. We have investigated this model by testing for inhibition (in "trans") by the CtD fragment in its nonphosphorylated (M8-CtD) and phosphomimetic (M8SD-CtD) states. In N(+) flies, ectopic M8-CtD compromises lateral inhibition, i.e., elicits supernumerary bristles as with loss of N signaling. This antimorphic activity of M8-CtD strongly rescues the reduced eye and/or bristle loss phenotypes that are elicited by ectopic M8SD or wild type M8. Additionally, the severely reduced eye of N(spl)/Y; E(spl)D/+ flies is also rescued by M8-CtD. Rescue is specific to the time and place, the morphogenetic furrow, where "founding" R8 photoreceptors are specified. In contrast, the phosphomimetic M8SD-CtD that is predicted to be deficient for autoinhibition, exhibits significantly attenuated or negligible activity. These studies provide evidence that autoinhibition by the CtD regulates M8 activity in a phosphorylation-dependent manner.

On the mechanism underlying the divergent retinal and bristle defects of M8* (E(spl)D) in Drosophila

Our results, using endogenous mutants and Gal4-UAS driven transgenes, implicate multisite phosphorylation in repression by E(spl)M8. We propose that these phosphorylations occur in the morphogenetic furrow (MF) to reverse an auto-inhibited state of M8, enabling repression of Atonal during R8 specification. Our studies address the paradoxical behavior of M8*, the truncated protein encoded by E(spl)D. We suggest that differences in N signaling in the bristle versus the eye underlie the antimorphic activity of M8* in N(+) (ectopic bristles) and hypermorphic activity in N(spl) (reduced eye). Ectopic M8* impairs eye development (in N(spl)) only during establishment of the atonal feedback loop (anterior to the MF), but is ineffective after this time point. In contrast, a CK2 phosphomimetic M8 lacking Groucho (Gro) binding, M8SDDeltaGro, acts antimorphic in N(+) and suppresses the eye/R8 and bristle defects of N(spl), as does reduced dosage of E(spl) or CK2. Multisite phosphorylation could serve as a checkpoint to enable a precise onset of repression, and this is bypassed in M8*. Additional implications are discussed.

Retinoblastoma family protein promotes normal R8-photoreceptor differentiation in the absence of rhinoceros by inhibiting dE2F1 activity

The retinoblastoma gene Rb is a prototype tumor suppressor which is conserved in Drosophila. Although much is known about the roles of Rb in cell proliferation and apoptosis, much less is known about how Rb regulates cell differentiation. Inactivation of Drosophila Rb (rbf) exhibited subtle differentiation defects similar to inactivation of Rb in mice, suggesting the existence of redundant mechanisms in the control of cell differentiation. To test this possibility and to characterize the role of Rbf in cell differentiation during retinal development, we carried out a genetic screen and identified a mutation in rhinoceros (rno), which leads to synergistic differentiation defects in conjunction with rbf inactivation. Characterization of an early differentiation defect, the multiple-R8 phenotype, revealed that this phenotype was caused by limiting amounts of Notch signaling due to reduced expression of the Notch ligand, Delta (Dl). Decreasing the gene dosage of Dl enhanced the multiple-R8 phenotype, while increasing the level of Dl suppressed this phenotype. Interestingly, removal of the transcriptional activation of dE2F1 partially restores Dl expression in rbf,rno mutant clones and suppresses the associated differentiation defects, indicating that this differentiation function of RBF is mediated by its regulation of dE2F1 activity.

Pax6 regulation of Math5 during mouse retinal neurogenesis

Activation of the bHLH factor Math5 (Atoh7) is an initiating event for mammalian retinal neurogenesis, as it is critically required for retinal ganglion cell formation. However, the cis-regulatory elements and trans-acting factors that control Math5 expression are largely unknown. Using a combination of transgenic mice and bioinformatics, we identified a phylogenetically conserved regulatory element that is required to activate Math5 transcription during early retinal neurogenesis. This element drives retinal expression in vivo, in a cross-species transgenic assay. Previously, Pax6 was shown to be necessary for the initiation of Math5 mRNA expression. We extend this finding by showing that the Math5 retinal enhancer also requires Pax6 for its activation, via Pax6 binding to a highly conserved binding site. In addition, our data reveal that other retinal factors are required for accurate regulation of Math5 by Pax6.

Retinal determination genes as targets and possible effectors of extracellular signals

Retinal determination genes are sufficient to specify eyes in ectopic locations, raising the question of how these master regulatory genes define an eye developmental field. Genetic mosaic studies establish that expression of the retinal determination genes eyeless, teashirt, homothorax, eyes absent, sine oculis, and dachshund are each regulated by combinations of Dpp, Hh, N, Wg, and Ras signals in Drosophila. Dpp and Hh control eyeless, teashirt, sine oculis, and dachshund expression, Dpp and Ras control homothorax, and all the signaling pathways affect eyes absent expression. These results suggest that eye-specific development uses retinal determination gene expression to relay positional information to eye target genes, because the distinct, overlapping patterns of retinal determination gene expression reflect the activities of the extracellular signaling pathways.

Temporal regulation of Ath5 gene expression during eye development

During central nervous system development the timing of progenitor differentiation must be precisely controlled to generate the proper number and complement of neuronal cell types. Proneural basic helix-loop-helix (bHLH) transcription factors play a central role in regulating neurogenesis, and thus the timing of their expression must be regulated to ensure that they act at the appropriate developmental time. In the developing retina, the expression of the bHLH factor Ath5 is controlled by multiple signals in early retinal progenitors, although less is known about how these signals are coordinated to ensure correct spatial and temporal pattern of gene expression. Here we identify a key distal Xath5 enhancer and show that this enhancer regulates the early phase of Xath5 expression, while the proximal enhancer we previously identified acts later. The distal enhancer responds to Pax6, a key patterning factor in the optic vesicle, while FGF signaling regulates Xath5 expression through sequences outside of this region. In addition, we have identified an inhibitory element adjacent to the conserved distal enhancer region that is required to prevent premature initiation of expression in the retina. This temporal regulation of Xath5 gene expression is comparable to proneural gene regulation in Drosophila, whereby separate enhancers regulate different temporal phases of expression.