Function of the Drosophila POU domain transcription factor Drifter as an upstream regulator of Breathless receptor tyrosine kinase expression in developing trachea

• DOI: 10.1242/dev.122.12.4169
• Publication Date: 2021-04-26T02:41:52Z
• Authors: Michael G. Anderson; Sarah J. Certel; Kaan Certel; Tzumin Lee; Denise J. Montell; Wayne A. Johnson
• Keywords: POU domain; Drifter; Mef2; PAS domain; Ectopic expression

ABSTRACT Organogenesis of the Drosophila tracheal system involves extensive directed cell migrations leading to a stereotypic series interconnected tubules. Although numerous gene products have been shown be essential for morphogenesis, direct functional relationships between participants not previously established. Both breathless gene, encoding fibroblast growth factor receptor tyrosine kinase homologue, and POU-domain transcription drifter, are expressed in all cells migrations. We demonstrate here that ubiquitously Breathless protein under control heterologous heat-shock promoter is able rescue severely disrupted phenotype associated with drifter loss-of-function mutations. In absence Drifter function, expression initiated normally but transcript levels fall drastically undetectable as differentiation proceeds. addition, regulatory DNA contains seven high affinity binding sites similar identified recognition elements. These results suggest protein, which maintains its own through tracheal-specific autoregulatory enhancer, necessary initiation functions transcriptional regulator maintenance transcripts at during migration. This example mechanism committed fate offers model understanding how activities can maintained throughout organogenesis.