Combined inactivation of RB and Hippo converts differentiating Drosophila photoreceptors into eye progenitor cells through derepression of homothorax.

ABSTRACT: The retinoblastoma (RB) and Hippo pathways interact to regulate cell proliferation and differentiation. However, the mechanism of interaction is not fully understood. Drosophila photoreceptors with inactivated RB and Hippo pathways specify normally but fail to maintain their neuronal identity and dedifferentiate. We performed single-cell RNA sequencing to elucidate the cause of dedifferentiation and to determine the fate of these cells. We find that dedifferentiated cells adopt a progenitor-like fate due to inappropriate activation of the retinal differentiation suppressor homothorax (hth) by Yki/Sd. This results in the activation of a distinct Yki/Hth transcriptional program, driving photoreceptor dedifferentiation. We show that Rbf physically interacts with Yki and, together with the GAG

SUBMITTER: Rader AE 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10842633 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature