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Selection of distinct Hox-Extradenticle interaction modes fine-tunes Hox protein activity.
- Source :
-
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America . 2/8/2011, Vol. 108 Issue 6, p2276-2281. 6p. 5 Graphs. - Publication Year :
- 2011
-
Abstract
- Hox genes encode transcription factors widely used for diversifying animal body plans in development and evolution. To achieve functional specificity, Hox proteins associate with PBC class proteins, Pre-B cell leukemia homeobox (Pbx) in vertebrates, and Extradenticle (Exd) in Drosophila, and were thought to use a unique hexapeptide-dependent generic mode of interaction. Recent findings, however, revealed the existence of an alternative, UbdA-dependent paralog-specific interaction mode providing diversity in Hox-PBC interactions. In this study, we investigated the basis for the selection of one of these two Hox-PBC interaction modes. Using naturally occurring variations and mutations in the Drosophila Ultrabithorax protein, we found that the linker region, a short domain separating the hexapeptide from the homeodomain, promotes an interaction mediated by the UbdA domain in a context-dependent manner. While using a UbdA-dependent interaction for the repression of the limb-promoting gene Distalless, interaction with Exd during segment-identity specification still relies on the hexapeptide motif. We further show that distinctly assembled Hox-PBC complexes display subtle but distinct repressive activities. These findings identify Hox-PBC interaction as a template for subtle regulation of Hox protein activity that may have played a major role in the diversification of Hox protein function in development and evolution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Subjects :
- *HOMEOBOX genes
*PROTEOLYTIC enzymes
*B cells
*DROSOPHILA
*PROTEIN S
*DISEASES
Subjects
Details
- Language :
- English
- ISSN :
- 00278424
- Volume :
- 108
- Issue :
- 6
- Database :
- Academic Search Index
- Journal :
- Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America
- Publication Type :
- Academic Journal
- Accession number :
- 58620269
- Full Text :
- https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1006964108