Soriano N S, Russell S
Department of Genetics, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge CB2 3EH, UK.
Development. 1998 Oct;125(20):3989-96. doi: 10.1242/dev.125.20.3989.
SOX-domain proteins are a class of developmentally important transcriptional regulators related to the mammalian testis determining factor SRY. In common with other SOX-domain genes, the Drosophila Dichaete gene has a dynamic expression profile in the developing central nervous system, including cells of the ventral midline. We find defects in the differentiation of midline glia and concomitant axonal defects in Dichaete mutants that are rescued by driving Dichaete expression in the midline. Since Dichaete is required for the correct specification or differentiation of midline glia, we have used the ventral midline as a model system to study SOX gene function in vivo and demonstrate a genetic interaction between Dichaete and the POU domain gene ventral veinless. In mammals, a protein related to Dichaete, SOX2, also interacts with POU transcription factors. The midline phenotypes of Dichaete mutations are rescued by expression of mouse SOX2. Our data suggest that SOX gene structure, function and interactions have been conserved during evolution.
SOX结构域蛋白是一类在发育过程中具有重要作用的转录调节因子，与哺乳动物睾丸决定因子SRY相关。与其他SOX结构域基因一样，果蝇的双胸基因（Dichaete gene）在发育中的中枢神经系统，包括腹侧中线的细胞中具有动态表达模式。我们发现双胸突变体中中线神经胶质细胞的分化存在缺陷，同时伴有轴突缺陷，而通过在中线驱动双胸基因的表达可以挽救这些缺陷。由于双胸基因是中线神经胶质细胞正确特化或分化所必需的，我们利用腹侧中线作为模型系统来研究SOX基因在体内的功能，并证明了双胸基因与POU结构域基因腹侧无脉（ventral veinless）之间的遗传相互作用。在哺乳动物中，一种与双胸基因相关的蛋白SOX2也与POU转录因子相互作用。小鼠SOX2的表达可挽救双胸基因突变的中线表型。我们的数据表明，SOX基因的结构、功能及相互作用在进化过程中是保守的。
