Daughterless, the Drosophila orthologue of TCF4, is required for associative learning and maintenance of the synaptic proteome.

ABSTRACT: Mammalian transcription factor 4 (TCF4) has been linked to schizophrenia and intellectual disabilities, such as Pitt-Hopkins syndrome (PTHS). Here, we show that similarly to mammalian TCF4, fruit fly orthologue Daughterless (Da) is expressed widely in the Drosophila brain. Furthermore, silencing of da, using several central nervous system-specific Gal4 driver lines, impairs appetitive associative learning of the larvae and leads to decreased levels of the synaptic proteins Synapsin (Syn) and Discs large 1 (Dlg1), suggesting the involvement of Da in memory formation. Here, we demonstrate that Syn and dlg1 are direct target genes of Da in adult Drosophila heads, as Da binds to the regulatory regions of these genes and the modulation of Da levels alter the l

SUBMITTER: Tamberg L 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7406316 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature