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The first deltex null mutant indicates tissue-specific deltex-dependent Notch signaling in Drosophila

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Abstract

Notch (N) is a single-pass transmembrane receptor. The N signaling pathway is an evolutionarily conserved mechanism that controls various cell-specification processes. Drosophila Deltex (Dx), a RING-domain E3 ubiquitin ligase, binds to the N intracellular domain, promotes N’s endocytic trafficking to late endosomes, and was proposed to activate Suppressor of Hairless [Su(H)]-independent N signaling. However, it has been difficult to evaluate the importance of dx, because no null mutant of a dx family gene has been available in any organism. Here, we report the first null mutant allele of Drosophila dx. We found that dx was involved only in the subsets of N signaling, but was not essential for it in any developmental context. A strong genetic interaction between dx and Su(H) suggested that dx might function in Su(H)-dependent N signaling. Our epistatic analyses suggested that dx functions downstream of the ligands and upstream of activated Su(H). We also uncovered a novel dx activity that suppressed N signaling downstream of N.

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Acknowledgements

We thank the Developmental Studies Hybridoma Bank, University of Iowa and the Bloomington Stock Center. We thank all laboratory members for discussions and comments on this work. This work was supported by a grant-in-aid from the Japanese Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports and Science, funded by PRESTO.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Biological Science and Technology, Tokyo University of Science, 2641 Yamazaki, 278-8510, Noda, Chiba, Japan

    Takashi J. Fuwa, Kazuya Hori, Takeshi Sasamura & Kenji Matsuno

  2. PRESTO, Japan Science and Technology Agency, 4-1-8 Honcho Kawaguchi, Saitama, Japan

    Takeshi Sasamura & Kenji Matsuno

  3. Faculty of Life Sciences Michael Smith Building, University of Manchester, Stopford Road, M13 9PT, Manchester, United Kingdom

    Jenny Higgs & Martin Baron

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  1. Takashi J. Fuwa
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  2. Kazuya Hori
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  6. Kenji Matsuno
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Correspondence to Kenji Matsuno.

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Communicated by G. Reuter

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Fuwa, T.J., Hori, K., Sasamura, T. et al. The first deltex null mutant indicates tissue-specific deltex-dependent Notch signaling in Drosophila . Mol Genet Genomics 275, 251–263 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00438-005-0087-3

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