Analysis of the Otd-dependent transcriptome supports the evolutionary conservation of CRX/OTX/OTD functions in flies and vertebrates.

ABSTRACT: Homeobox transcription factors of the vertebrate CRX/OTX family play critical roles in photoreceptor neurons, the rostral brain and circadian processes. In mouse, the three related proteins, CRX, OTX1, and OTX2, fulfill these functions. In Drosophila, the single founding member of this gene family, called orthodenticle (otd), is required during embryonic brain and photoreceptor neuron development. We have used global gene expression analysis in late pupal heads to better characterize the post-embryonic functions of Otd in Drosophila. We have identified 61 genes that are differentially expressed between wild type and a viable eye-specific otd mutant allele. Among them, about one-third represent potentially direct targets of Otd based on their association with evolutionarily conserved Otd-bi

SUBMITTER: Ranade SS 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2329912 | biostudies-literature | 2008 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature