How prolonged expression of Hunchback, a temporal transcription factor, re-wires locomotor circuits.
basic_science · Level V
Where this comes from
- Record sourced from PubMed, PMID 31502540.
- Also identified by DOI 10.7554/eLife.46089 and PMC identifier 6754208.
- Licence recorded as CC BY.
- The licence permits redistribution, so the abstract is shown in full and the full text is available from the publisher.
Abstract
How circuits assemble starting from stem cells is a fundamental question in developmental neurobiology. We test the hypothesis that, in neuronal stem cells, temporal transcription factors predictably control neuronal terminal features and circuit assembly. Using the Drosophila motor system, we manipulate expression of the classic temporal transcription factor Hunchback (Hb) specifically in the NB7-1 stem cell, which produces U motor neurons (MNs), and then we monitor dendrite morphology and neuromuscular synaptic partnerships. We find that prolonged expression of Hb leads to transient specification of U MN identity, and that embryonic molecular markers do not accurately predict U MN terminal features. Nonetheless, our data show Hb acts as a potent regulator of neuromuscular wiring decisions. These data introduce important refinements to current models, show that molecular information acts early in neurogenesis as a switch to control motor circuit wiring, and provide novel insight into the relationship between stem cell and circuit.
Medical subject headings
- DNA-Binding Proteins
- Drosophila Proteins
- Gene Expression
- Motor Neurons
- Neural Pathways
- Neuromuscular Junction
- Stem Cells
- Transcription Factors