Brinker is a sequence-specific transcriptional repressor in the Drosophila embryo

Hailan Zhang, Michael Levine, Hilary L. Ashe

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

    Abstract

    A Dpp activity gradient specifies multiple thresholds of gene expression in the dorsal ectoderm of the early embryo. Some of these thresholds depend on a putative repressor, Brinker, which is expressed in the neurogenic ectoderm in response to the maternal Dorsal gradient and Dpp signaling. Here we show that Brinker is a sequence-specific transcriptional repressor. It binds the consensus sequence, TGGCGc/tc/t, and interacts with the Groucho corepressor through a conserved sequence motif, FKPY. An optimal Brinker binding site is contained within an 800-bp enhancer from the tolloid gene, which has been identified as a genetic target of the Brinker repressor. A tolloid-lacZ transgene containing point mutations in this site exhibits an expanded pattern of expression, suggesting that Brinker directly represses tolloid transcription. We discuss other examples of transcriptional repressors constraining the activities of signaling pathways.
    Original languageEnglish
    Pages (from-to)261-266
    Number of pages5
    JournalGenes and development
    Volume15
    Issue number3
    DOIs
    Publication statusPublished - 1 Feb 2001

    Keywords

    • Brinkes repressor
    • Dpp gradient
    • Drosophila embryo

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