Ken & barbie selectively regulates the expression of a subset of Jak/STAT pathway target genes

Curr Biol. 2006 Jan 10;16(1):80-8. doi: 10.1016/j.cub.2005.11.033.

Abstract

A limited number of evolutionarily conserved signal transduction pathways are repeatedly reused during development to regulate a wide range of processes. Here we describe a new negative regulator of JAK/STAT signaling and identify a potential mechanism by which the pleiotropy of responses resulting from pathway activation is generated in vivo. As part of a genetic interaction screen, we have identified Ken & Barbie (Ken) , which is an ortholog of the mammalian proto-oncogene BCL6 , as a negative regulator of the JAK/STAT pathway. Ken genetically interacts with the pathway in vivo and recognizes a DNA consensus sequence overlapping that of STAT92E in vitro. Tissue culture-based assays demonstrate the existence of Ken-sensitive and Ken-insensitive STAT92E binding sites, while ectopically expressed Ken is sufficient to downregulate a subset of JAK/STAT pathway target genes in vivo. Finally, we show that endogenous Ken specifically represses JAK/STAT-dependent expression of ventral veins lacking (vvl) in the posterior spiracles. Ken therefore represents a novel regulator of JAK/STAT signaling whose dynamic spatial and temporal expression is capable of selectively modulating the transcriptional repertoire elicited by activated STAT92E in vivo.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Cells, Cultured
  • DNA-Binding Proteins / genetics
  • DNA-Binding Proteins / metabolism*
  • Drosophila / embryology
  • Drosophila / genetics*
  • Drosophila / metabolism
  • Drosophila Proteins / genetics
  • Drosophila Proteins / metabolism*
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental*
  • Genes, Reporter
  • Janus Kinases
  • POU Domain Factors / metabolism
  • Phylogeny
  • Protein-Tyrosine Kinases / metabolism*
  • STAT Transcription Factors / metabolism*
  • Sequence Homology, Amino Acid
  • Signal Transduction
  • Transcription Factors / metabolism*

Substances

  • DNA-Binding Proteins
  • Drosophila Proteins
  • Ken protein, Drosophila
  • POU Domain Factors
  • STAT Transcription Factors
  • Stat92E protein, Drosophila
  • Transcription Factors
  • vvl protein, Drosophila
  • Protein-Tyrosine Kinases
  • Janus Kinases
  • hop protein, Drosophila