Differential activity of EWG transcription factor isoforms identifies a subset of differentially regulated genes important for synaptic growth regulation.

Irmgard Haussmann

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

    10 Citations (Scopus)

    Abstract

    The vast majority of genes in the human genome is alternatively spliced. The functional consequences of this
    type of post-transcriptional gene regulation that is particularly prominent in the brain, however, remains
    largely elusive. Here we analyzed the role of alternative splicing in the transcription factor erect wing (ewg) in
    Drosophila and dissect its function through differential rescue with transgenes encoding different isoforms.
    Transgenes expressing the SC3 ORF isoform fully rescue viability and synaptic growth defects. In contrast,
    transgenes expressing the ΔDJ isoform, that lack exons D and J, have a lower activity as inferred from their
    expression levels and exert reduced rescue of viability and synaptic growth defects. By comparison of the gene
    expression profile of ewgl1 mutants rescued either by the SC3 ORF or the ΔDJ transgene, we identified a set of
    genes whose expression is exclusively restored by the SC3 isoform. These genes are mostly involved in
    regulating gene expression while a core function of EWG is indicated by the regulation of metabolic genes by
    both isoforms. In conclusion, we demonstrated that differential rescue with different isoform encoding
    transgenes of the transcription factor EWG identifies a unique set of genes associated with synaptic growth
    regulation.
    Original languageEnglish
    Pages (from-to)224-230
    Number of pages7
    JournalDevelopmental Biology
    Volume348
    Issue number2
    DOIs
    Publication statusPublished - 18 Sept 2010

    Keywords

    • Alternative splicing
    • Synaptic growth
    • Transcription factor activity
    • Functional genomics
    • Transcriptional and post-transcriptional gene
    • regulatory networks

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