CNS development, neuroblast stem cells, neural-identity genes, castor, POU gene regulation
The ultimate goal of the Neurogenetics Unit is to understand molecular mechanisms that generate neuronal diversity during CNS development. Recent studies in our Unit have uncovered an early branch point in the genetic program that dictates this unfolding complexity in the Drosophila CNS. Using antibody tags as specific markers we have discovered that neurons produced from early, intermediate and late developing neuroblasts take up laminar positions within CNS ganglia and are distinguished by their selective expressions of neural-identity gene regulators. Our efforts to understand the role of Castor (a Zn-finger protein) in controlling neural-identity genes has led to the realization that this transcription factor and Hunchback (another Zn-finger protein) play pivotal roles in establishing the temporal differences between the early and late neuroblast lineages. By collaborating across neuroblast "time zones," Castor and Hunchback set the temporal and spatial expression boundaries of the POU genes, pdm-1 and pdm-2. Our work currently is focused on learning more about the differences that exist between neuroblast subpopulations and the regulatory circuits that control cell-fates within their lineages.
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Kutty, R.K., Kambadur, R., Kutty, G., Duncan, T., Koonin, E.V., Rodriguez, I.R., Odenwald, W.F., and Wiggert, B. Molecular characterization and developmental expression of a retinoid- and fatty acid-binding glycoprotein from Drosophila: a putative lipophorin. Journal of Biological Chemistry 271:20641-20649, 1996.
Kambadur, R., Kiozumi, K., Stivers, C., Nagle, J., Poole, S.J. and Odenwald, W.F. All Drosophila POU genes depend on castor for correct CNS expression. (submitted)