The core-promoter factor TRF2 mediates a Fruitless action to masculinize neurobehavioral traits in Drosophila.

ABSTRACT: In fruit flies, the male-specific fruitless (fru) gene product FruBM plays a central role in establishing the neural circuitry for male courtship behavior by orchestrating the transcription of genes required for the male-type specification of individual neurons. We herein identify the core promoter recognition factor gene Trf2 as a dominant modifier of fru actions. Trf2 knockdown in the sexually dimorphic mAL neurons leads to the loss of a male-specific neurite and a reduction in male courtship vigor. TRF2 forms a repressor complex with FruBM, strongly enhancing the repressor activity of FruBM at the promoter region of the robo1 gene, whose function is required for inhibiting the male-specific neurite formation. In females that lack FruBM, TRF2 stimulates robo1 transcription. Our results s

SUBMITTER: Chowdhury ZS 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5684138 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature