43rd ANNUAL DROSOPHILA RESEARCH CONFERENCE
April 10-14, 2002

PROGRAM AND ABSTRACT VOLUME
Workshop Abstract

15W
Differential regulatory mechanisms for muscle-specific transcription. M. Cervera, J J Arredondo, E. Garcia-Zaragoza, R. Marco-Ferreres, J. A. Mas. Departamento de Bioquímica & Instituto Investigaciones Biomédicas, CSIC, Facultad de Medicina, U.A.M. Arzobispo Morcillo 4, 28029 Madrid, Spain.

To define the transcriptional mechanisms contributing to stage- and tissue-specific expression of muscle genes, we performed transgenic analysis of Drosophila paramyosin and Troponin T genes regulation. The transcription of the paramyosin and miniparamyosin mRNAs is controlled by two different promoters. Troponin T promoter drives transcription of four muscle-type specific products generated by developmentally-regulated alternative splicing. Regions between -0.9 and -2 kilobases upstream of each initiation site contribute to the temporal and spatial expression patterns. Our studies reveal the existence of two muscle-type independent regions, located upstream and downstream from the initiation site of the TnT gene. We have identified the specific regulatory regions controlling the expression of the three proteins. The regulatory element controlling TnT expression in the dorsal vessel is located in between -1.1 and - 0.8 kilobases upstream of the initiation site. Two conserved binding sites for TINMAN have been identified in the sequence. By comparing the D. melanogaster and D. virilis promoters, conserved binding sites were found for known myogenic factors including several MEF2, TINMAN, PDP1 sites and E-boxes. These sites are conserved in position with respect to the transcriptional initiation site. The combined information of the three muscle genes and their regulatory programs will be presented.