RESUMEN
A key aim of neurodevelopmental research is to understand how precursor cells decide to stop dividing and commence their terminal differentiation at the correct time and place. Here, we show that minibrain (mnb), the Drosophila ortholog of the Down syndrome candidate gene DYRK1A, is transiently expressed in newborn neuronal precursors known as ganglion cells (GCs). Mnb promotes the cell cycle exit of GCs through a dual mechanism that regulates the expression of the cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor Dacapo, the homolog of vertebrate p27(Kip1) (Cdkn1b). Mnb upregulates the expression of the proneural transcription factor (TF) Asense, which promotes Dacapo expression. Mnb also induces the expression of Prospero, a homeodomain TF that in turn inhibits the expression of Deadpan, a pan-neural TF that represses dacapo In addition to its effects on Asense and Prospero, Mnb also promotes the expression of the neuronal-specific RNA regulator Elav, strongly suggesting that Mnb facilitates neuronal differentiation. These actions of Mnb ensure the precise timing of neuronal birth, coupling the mechanisms that regulate neurogenesis, cell cycle control and terminal differentiation of neurons.
Asunto(s)
Encéfalo/citología , Encéfalo/metabolismo , Ciclo Celular/fisiología , Proteínas de Drosophila/metabolismo , Drosophila/citología , Drosophila/metabolismo , Animales , Ciclo Celular/genética , Diferenciación Celular/genética , Diferenciación Celular/fisiología , Inhibidor p27 de las Quinasas Dependientes de la Ciclina/genética , Inhibidor p27 de las Quinasas Dependientes de la Ciclina/metabolismo , Proteínas de Drosophila/genética , Proteínas del Tejido Nervioso/genética , Proteínas del Tejido Nervioso/metabolismo , Proteínas Nucleares/genética , Proteínas Nucleares/metabolismo , Proteínas Serina-Treonina Quinasas/genética , Proteínas Serina-Treonina Quinasas/metabolismo , Factores de Transcripción/genética , Factores de Transcripción/metabolismoRESUMEN
Cell proliferation, specification and terminal differentiation must be precisely coordinated during brain development to ensure the correct production of different neuronal populations. Most Drosophila neuroblasts (NBs) divide asymmetrically to generate a new NB and an intermediate progenitor called ganglion mother cell (GMC) which divides only once to generate two postmitotic cells called ganglion cells (GCs) that subsequently differentiate into neurons. During the asymmetric division of NBs, the homeodomain transcription factor PROSPERO is segregated into the GMC where it plays a key role as cell fate determinant. Previous work on embryonic neurogenesis has shown that PROSPERO is not expressed in postmitotic neuronal progeny. Thus, PROSPERO is thought to function in the GMC by repressing genes required for cell-cycle progression and activating genes involved in terminal differentiation. Here we focus on postembryonic neurogenesis and show that the expression of PROSPERO is transiently upregulated in the newly born neuronal progeny generated by most of the larval NBs of the OL and CB. Moreover, we provide evidence that this expression of PROSPERO in GCs inhibits their cell cycle progression by activating the expression of the cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor (CKI) DACAPO. These findings imply that PROSPERO, in addition to its known role as cell fate determinant in GMCs, provides a transient signal to ensure a precise timing for cell cycle exit of prospective neurons, and hence may link the mechanisms that regulate neurogenesis and those that control cell cycle progression in postembryonic brain development.