Abstract
hunchback regulates the temporal identity of neuroblasts in Drosophila. Here we show that hbl-1, the C. elegans hunchback ortholog, also controls temporal patterning. Furthermore, hbl-1 is a probable target of microRNA regulation through its 3'UTR. hbl-1 loss-of-function causes the precocious expression of adult seam cell fates. This phenotype is similar to loss-of-function of lin-41, a known target of the let-7 microRNA. Like lin-41 mutations, hbl-1 loss-of-function partially suppresses a let-7 mutation. The hbl-1 3'UTR is both necessary and sufficient to downregulate a reporter gene during development, and the let-7 and lin-4 microRNAs are both required for HBL-1/GFP downregulation. Multiple elements in the hbl-1 3'UTR show complementarity to regulatory microRNAs, suggesting that microRNAs directly control hbl-1. MicroRNAs may likewise function to regulate Drosophila hunchback during temporal patterning of the nervous system.
Publication types
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Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.
MeSH terms
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3' Untranslated Regions / genetics
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3' Untranslated Regions / metabolism
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Alleles
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Amino Acid Sequence
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Animals
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Base Sequence
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Body Patterning*
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Caenorhabditis elegans / embryology*
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Caenorhabditis elegans / genetics
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Caenorhabditis elegans / metabolism
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Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins / genetics*
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Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins / metabolism*
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Cell Lineage
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DNA-Binding Proteins / genetics*
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DNA-Binding Proteins / metabolism*
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Down-Regulation
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Drosophila Proteins / genetics*
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Drosophila Proteins / metabolism*
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Exons
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Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental
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Introns
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MicroRNAs / genetics
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MicroRNAs / metabolism*
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Molecular Sequence Data
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Mutation
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RNA Interference
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Repressor Proteins / metabolism
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Sequence Homology, Amino Acid
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Time Factors
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Transcription Factors / genetics*
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Transcription Factors / metabolism*
Substances
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3' Untranslated Regions
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Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins
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DNA-Binding Proteins
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Drosophila Proteins
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LIN-29 protein, C elegans
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MicroRNAs
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Repressor Proteins
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Transcription Factors
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hb protein, Drosophila
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hbl-1protein, C elegans
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lin-4 microRNA, C elegans