Cited by 265Developmental Biology and Gene RegulationGenomics and Chromatin DynamicsRNA Research and Splicing

Unmasking Activation of the Zygotic Genome Using Chromosomal Deletions in the Drosophila Embryo

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De Renzis, Stefano, Elemento, Olivier, Tavazoie, Saeed, Wieschaus, Eric F·2007·PLoS Biology

Abstract

During the maternal-to-zygotic transition, a developing embryo integrates post-transcriptional regulation of maternal mRNAs with transcriptional activation of its own genome. By combining chromosomal ablation in Drosophila with microarray analysis, we characterized the basis of this integration. We show that the expression profile for at least one third of zygotically active genes is coupled to the concomitant degradation of the corresponding maternal mRNAs. The embryo uses transcription and degradation to generate localized patterns of expression, and zygotic transcription to degrade distinct classes of maternal transcripts. Although degradation does not appear to involve a simple regulatory code, the activation of the zygotic genome starts from intronless genes sharing a common cis-element. This cis-element interacts with a single protein, the Bicoid stability factor, and acts as a potent enhancer capable of timing the activity of an exogenous transactivator. We propose that this regulatory mode links morphogen gradients with temporal regulation during the maternal-to-zygotic transition.

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  • A genome-wide computational search identified an additional set of sequences, denoted the TAGteam (CAGGTAG and slight variations), which is present in cis-regulatory elements of many genes expressed at the onset of zygotic transcription.

    “A genome-wide computational search also identified an additional set of sequences, denoted the “TAGteam” (CAGGTAG and slight variations of this sequence), which is present in cis-regulatory elements of many genes expressed at the onset of zygotic transcription”

    From Graded dorsal and differential gene regulation in the Drosophila embryo. (2009) · cites this paper as De Renzis et al. 2007

    The Results sections on regulatory motifs and zygotic-genome activation report a computational search that found CAGGTAG and its variants upstream of many early zygotic genes. However, this paper calls the motif the “7mer,” not “TAGteam,” so it does not support the attributed name. The supplied passages have no page numbers. (LLM, conf=0.84)

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Research works printed but not linked: 1

  1. Crooks GE Hon G Chandonia JM Brenner SE 2004 WebLogo: A sequence logo generator Genome Res 14 1188 1190 15173120 PMC419797

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Authors
De Renzis, S., Elemento, O., Tavazoie, S., & Wieschaus, E. F.
Affiliations
  • Princeton University (US)
  • Howard Hughes Medical Institute (US)
Corresponding author
Wieschaus, Eric F
Venue
PLoS Biology
Published
2007-04-24
Volume
5
Issue
5
Pages
e117
ISSN
  • 1544-9173 (ISSN-L)
  • 1545-7885
OpenAlex
W2050234082
Cited by
265
References
49
Citations by year
2026: 5 · 2025: 6 · 2024: 6 · 2023: 13 · 2022: 6 · 2021: 12 · 2020: 10 · 2019: 12 · 2018: 17 · 2017: 17 · 2016: 16 · 2015: 21 · 2014: 25 · 2013: 15 · 2012: 12
FWCI
7.96
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • PLoS Biology (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) (submittedVersion, cc-by-sa)
  • Figshare (submittedVersion, cc-by)
Funders
  • Howard Hughes Medical Institute
  • National Human Genome Research Institute (5R01 HG3219-3, R01HG003219, R56HG003219)
  • National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (5R37HD15587)
  • Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (5R37 HD 15587, R37HD015587)
Topics
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Molecular Biology › Developmental Biology and Gene Regulation
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Molecular Biology › Genomics and Chromatin Dynamics
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Molecular Biology › RNA Research and Splicing
Keywords
zygotic genome activation, maternal-to-zygotic transition, chromosomal deletion, Drosophila embryo, maternal mRNA degradation, post-transcriptional regulation, cis-regulatory elements, intronless genes, enhancers, morphogen gradients, temporal gene regulation, transcriptional activation
MeSH terms
Animals, Base Sequence, Chromosome Deletion, Drosophila melanogaster, Female, RNA, Messenger, Zygote, Transcriptional Activation, Down-Regulation, RNA-Binding Proteins, Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental, Gene Expression Profiling, Drosophila Proteins

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