The xbp-1 gene is essential for development in Drosophila - PubMed (original) (raw)

. 2007 Feb;217(2):159-67.

doi: 10.1007/s00427-006-0124-1. Epub 2007 Jan 6.

Affiliations

Free article

The xbp-1 gene is essential for development in Drosophila

Sami Souid et al. Dev Genes Evol. 2007 Feb.

Free article

Abstract

We report in this paper the characterization of Dxbp-1, the Drosophila homologue of the xpb-1 gene that encodes a "bZIP"-containing transcription factor that plays a key role in the unfolded protein response (UPR), an evolutionarily conserved signalling pathway activated by an overload of misfolded proteins in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER). Dxbp-1 is ubiquitously transcribed, and high levels are found in embryonic salivary glands and in the ovarian follicle cells committed to the synthesis of the respiratory appendages. Loss of function of Dxbp-1 induced a recessive larval lethality, thus, revealing an essential requirement for this gene. The Dxbp-1 transcript was submitted to an "unconventional" splicing that generated a processed Dxbp-1s transcript encoding a DXbp-1 protein isoform, as is the case for yeast, Caenorhabditis elegans and vertebrate hac1/xbp-1 transcripts after UPR activation. However, in the absence of exogenously induced ER stress, the Dxbp-1s transcript was also detectable not only throughout embryonic and larval development but also in adults with a high level of accumulation in the male sexual apparatus and, to a lesser extent, in the salivary glands of the third-instar larvae. Using a Dxbp-1:GFP transgene as an in vivo reporter for Dxbp-1 mRNA unconventional splicing, we confirmed that Dxbp-1 processing took place in the salivary glands of the third-instar larvae. The Dxbp-1 gene appears, thus, to play an essential role during the development of Drosophila, hypothetically by stimulating the folding capacities of the ER in cells committed to intense secretory activities.

PubMed Disclaimer

Similar articles

Cited by

References

    1. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2000 Apr 25;97(9):4660-5 - PubMed
    1. Nat Immunol. 2003 Apr;4(4):321-9 - PubMed
    1. Science. 2000 Jan 28;287(5453):664-6 - PubMed
    1. Mol Cell Biol. 2003 Nov;23(21):7448-59 - PubMed
    1. Mech Dev. 2006 Jan;123(1):84-96 - PubMed

Publication types

MeSH terms

Substances

LinkOut - more resources