RNA recognition and translational regulation by a homeodomain protein.

Nature ·Vol. 379 ·No. 6567 ·1996-02-22 ·Pages 694-9

Dubnau J, Struhl G

Abstract

In Drosophila, the primary determinant of anterior pattern is the gradient morphogen bicoid (bcd), a homeodomain protein that binds DNA and transcriptionally activates target genes at different threshold concentrations. Here we present evidence that bcd also binds RNA and acts as a translational repressor to generate an opposing gradient of the homeodomain protein caudal (cad). RNA binding by bcd seems to involve direct interactions between the bcd homeodomain and discrete target sequences within the 3' untranslated region of the cad messenger RNA and to block the initiation of cad translation.

MeSH Terms

Animals Animals, Genetically Modified Base Sequence Binding Sites Cell Line DNA Drosophila/embryology,genetics Drosophila Proteins Female Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental Homeodomain Proteins/genetics,metabolism Insect Hormones/metabolism Introns Molecular Sequence Data Peptide Chain Initiation, Translational Peptide Fragments/metabolism Protein Biosynthesis RNA, Messenger/metabolism RNA-Binding Proteins/metabolism Recombinant Fusion Proteins/metabolism Regulatory Sequences, Nucleic Acid Repressor Proteins/metabolism Trans-Activators Transcription Factors

Chemicals

Drosophila Proteins Homeodomain Proteins Insect Hormones Peptide Fragments RNA, Messenger RNA-Binding Proteins Recombinant Fusion Proteins Repressor Proteins Trans-Activators Transcription Factors bcd protein, Drosophila cad protein, Drosophila DNA

Authors & Affiliations

2 authors, click to expand affiliations / ORCID

Dubnau J

Howard Hughes Medical Research Institute, Department of Genetics and Development, Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, New York 10032, USA.

Struhl G

Article Info

Journal

Nature

Abbr.

Nature

ISSN

0028-0836

DOI

10.1038/379694a0

Published

1996-02-22

Pages

694-9

Language

English

Region

England

NLM ID

0410462

Subset

Corrections

ErratumIn

CommentIn

PMID: 8602209

External Links

PubMed source DOI: 10.1038/379694a0 View journal details

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