Statements in which the resource exists as a subject.
PredicateObject
rdf:type
lifeskim:mentions
pubmed:issue
9
pubmed:dateCreated
2010-3-3
pubmed:abstractText
Homeotic (Hox) genes encode transcription factors that confer segmental identity along the anteroposterior axis of the embryo. However the molecular mechanisms underlying Hox-mediated transcription and the differential requirements for specificity in the regulation of the vast number of Hox-target genes remain ill-defined. Here we show that synthetic Sex combs reduced (Scr) genes that encode the Scr C terminus containing the homedomain (HD) and YPWM motif (Scr-HD) are functional in vivo. Synthetic Scr-HD peptides can induce ectopic salivary glands in the embryo and homeotic transformations in the adult fly, act as transcriptional activators and repressors during development, and participate in protein-protein interactions. Their transformation capacity was found to be enhanced over their full-length counterpart and mutations known to transform the full-length protein into constitutively active or inactive variants behaved accordingly in the synthetic peptides. Our results show that synthetic Scr-HD genes are sufficient for homeotic function in Drosophila and suggest that the N terminus of Scr has a role in transcriptional potency, rather than specificity. We also demonstrate that synthetic peptides behave largely in a predictable way, by exhibiting Scr-specific phenotypes throughout development, which makes them an important tool for synthetic biology.
pubmed:language
eng
pubmed:journal
pubmed:citationSubset
IM
pubmed:chemical
pubmed:status
MEDLINE
pubmed:month
Mar
pubmed:issn
1091-6490
pubmed:author
pubmed:issnType
Electronic
pubmed:day
2
pubmed:volume
107
pubmed:owner
NLM
pubmed:authorsComplete
Y
pubmed:pagination
4087-92
pubmed:dateRevised
2010-9-3
pubmed:meshHeading
pubmed:year
2010
pubmed:articleTitle
Function and specificity of synthetic Hox transcription factors in vivo.
pubmed:affiliation
Department of Cell Biology, Biozentrum, University of Basel, 4056 Basel, Switzerland.
pubmed:publicationType
Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't