The bHLH gene Hes6, an inhibitor of Hes1, promotes neuronal differentiation

Development ◽  
2000 ◽  
Vol 127 (13) ◽  
pp. 2933-2943 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. Bae ◽  
Y. Bessho ◽  
M. Hojo ◽  
R. Kageyama
Keyword(s):  
Cell Differentiation ◽  
Neuronal Differentiation ◽  
Rod Photoreceptor ◽  
Bhlh Gene ◽  
Basic Helix Loop Helix ◽  
Helix Loop Helix ◽  
Differentiated Cells ◽  
Loop Region ◽  
The Family ◽  
Enhancer Of Split

We have isolated the basic helix-loop-helix (bHLH) gene Hes6, a novel member of the family of mammalian homologues of Drosophila hairy and Enhancer of split. Hes6 is expressed by both undifferentiated and differentiated cells, unlike Hes1, which is expressed only by the former cells. Hes6 alone does not bind to the DNA but suppresses Hes1 from repressing transcription. In addition, Hes6 suppresses Hes1 from inhibiting Mash1-E47 heterodimer and thereby enables Mash1 and E47 to upregulate transcription in the presence of Hes1. Furthermore, misexpression of Hes6 with retrovirus in the developing retina promotes rod photoreceptor differentiation, like Mash1, in sharp contrast to Hes1, which inhibits cell differentiation. These results suggest that Hes6 is an inhibitor of Hes1, supports Mash1 activity and promotes cell differentiation. Mutation analysis revealed that Hes1- and Hes6-specific functions are, at least in part, interchangeable by alteration of the loop region, suggesting that the loop is not simply a nonfunctional spacer but plays an important role in the specific functions.

Ebf1 controls early cell differentiation in the embryonic striatum

Development ◽  
1999 ◽  
Vol 126 (23) ◽  
pp. 5285-5294 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. Garel ◽  
F. Marin ◽  
R. Grosschedl ◽  
P. Charnay
Keyword(s):  
Transcription Factors ◽  
Cell Differentiation ◽  
Neuronal Differentiation ◽  
Regulatory Proteins ◽  
Targeted Disruption ◽  
Ventral Telencephalon ◽  
Molecular Identity ◽  
Helix Loop Helix ◽  
The Family ◽  
Mantle Cell

Ebf1/Olf-1 belongs to a small multigene family encoding closely related helix-loop-helix transcription factors, which have been proposed to play a role in neuronal differentiation. Here we show that Ebf1 controls cell differentiation in the murine embryonic striatum, where it is the only gene of the family to be expressed. Ebf1 targeted disruption affects postmitotic cells that leave the subventricular zone (SVZ) en route to the mantle: they appear to be unable to downregulate genes normally restricted to the SVZ or to activate some mantle-specific genes. These downstream genes encode a variety of regulatory proteins including transcription factors and proteins involved in retinoid signalling as well as adhesion/guidance molecules. These early defects in the SVZ/mantle transition are followed by an increase in cell death, a dramatic reduction in size of the postnatal striatum and defects in navigation and fasciculation of thalamocortical fibres travelling through the striatum. Our data therefore show that Ebf1 plays an essential role in the acquisition of mantle cell molecular identity in the developing striatum and provide information on the genetic hierarchies that govern neuronal differentiation in the ventral telencephalon.

scholarly journals Modulation of Basic Helix-Loop-Helix Transcription Complex Formation by Id Proteins during Neuronal Differentiation

2001 ◽  
Vol 277 (11) ◽  
pp. 9118-9126 ◽  
Author(s):  
Annika Jögi ◽  
Paula Persson ◽  
Anna Grynfeld ◽  
Sven Påhlman ◽  
Håkan Axelson
Keyword(s):  
Complex Formation ◽  
Neuronal Differentiation ◽  
Basic Helix Loop Helix ◽  
Helix Loop Helix ◽  
Id Proteins

The homeodomain-containing gene Xdbx inhibits neuronal differentiation in the developing embryo

Development ◽  
2000 ◽  
Vol 127 (13) ◽  
pp. 2945-2954 ◽  
Author(s):  
A.A. Gershon ◽  
J. Rudnick ◽  
L. Kalam ◽  
K. Zimmerman
Keyword(s):  
Neuronal Differentiation ◽  
Normal Development ◽  
Early Embryo ◽  
Neural Plate ◽  
Neural Progenitors ◽  
Expression Domain ◽  
Basic Helix Loop Helix ◽  
Helix Loop Helix ◽  
Early Neurogenesis

The development of the vertebrate nervous system depends upon striking a balance between differentiating neurons and neural progenitors in the early embryo. Our findings suggest that the homeodomain-containing gene Xdbx regulates this balance by maintaining neural progenitor populations within specific regions of the neuroectoderm. In posterior regions of the Xenopus embryo, Xdbx is expressed in a bilaterally symmetric stripe that lies at the middle of the mediolateral axis of the neural plate. This stripe of Xdbx expression overlaps the expression domain of the proneural basic/helix-loop-helix-containing gene, Xash3, and is juxtaposed to the expression domains of Xenopus Neurogenin related 1 and N-tubulin, markers of early neurogenesis in the embryo. Xdbx overexpression inhibits neuronal differentiation in the embryo and when co-injected with Xash3, Xdbx inhibits the ability of Xash3 to induce ectopic neurogenesis. One role of Xdbx during normal development may therefore be to restrict spatially neuronal differentiation within the neural plate, possibly by altering the neuronal differentiation function of Xash3.

The Notch ligand, X-Delta-2, mediates segmentation of the paraxial mesoderm in Xenopus embryos

Development ◽  
1997 ◽  
Vol 124 (6) ◽  
pp. 1169-1178 ◽  
Author(s):  
W.C. Jen ◽  
D. Wettstein ◽  
D. Turner ◽  
A. Chitnis ◽  
C. Kintner
Keyword(s):  
Paraxial Mesoderm ◽  
Bhlh Gene ◽  
Presomitic Mesoderm ◽  
Notch 1 ◽  
Notch Ligand ◽  
Basic Helix Loop Helix ◽  
Helix Loop Helix ◽  
Vertebrate Embryo ◽  
Somite Formation ◽  
Segmental Expression

Segmentation of the vertebrate embryo begins when the paraxial mesoderm is subdivided into somites, through a process that remains poorly understood. To study this process, we have characterized X-Delta-2, which encodes the second Xenopus homolog of Drosophila Delta. Strikingly, X-Delta-2 is expressed within the presomitic mesoderm in a set of stripes that corresponds to prospective somitic boundaries, suggesting that Notch signaling within this region establishes a segmental prepattern prior to somitogenesis. To test this idea, we introduced antimorphic forms of X-Delta-2 and Xenopus Suppressor of Hairless (X-Su(H)) into embryos, and assayed the effects of these antimorphs on somite formation. In embryos expressing these antimorphs, the paraxial mesoderm differentiated normally into somitic tissue, but failed to segment properly. Both antimorphs also disrupted the segmental expression of X-Delta-2 and Hairy2A, a basic helix-loop-helix (bHLH) gene, within the presomitic mesoderm. These observations suggest that X-Delta-2, via X-Notch-1, plays a role in segmentation, by mediating cell-cell interactions that underlie the formation of a segmental prepattern prior to somitogenesis.

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