Cnidarian Zic Genes
2.8 Concluding Remarks
The expression studies initiated in the two cnidarians represent an excellent start to begin to understand the role of ancestral zic genes in animals. However, functional studies are necessary to establish definitive roles for Hyzic and Nvzic genes.
Additionally, with functional studies and modern molecular approaches now pos- sible in cnidarians, it will be possible to determine the molecular basis of cnidarian zic phenotypes. Comparisons of the downstream zic targets and identification of molecules that interact with cnidarian zic genes will provide key evidence to deter- mine the degree to which zic genes function through conserved pathways in cnidar- ians and bilaterians. Lastly, efforts to better investigate the function and expression of Tad-zic will provide a glimpse into the roles the original ancestral zic gene may have played in animal evolution.
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Chapter 3
Odd-Paired: The Drosophila Zic Gene
Deborah A. Hursh and Brian G. Stultz
Abstract Zinc finger in the cerebellum (Zic) proteins are a family of transcription factors with multiple roles during development, particularly in neural tissues. The founding member of the Zic family is the Drosophila odd-paired (opa) gene. The Opa protein has a DNA binding domain containing five Cys2His2-type zinc fingers and has been shown to act as a sequence-specific DNA binding protein. Opa has significant homology to mammalian Zic1, Zic2, and Zic3 within the zinc finger domain and in two other conserved regions outside that domain. opa was initially identified as a pair-rule gene, part of the hierarchy of genes that establish the seg- mental body plan of the early Drosophila embryo. However, its wide expression pattern during embryogenesis indicates it plays additional roles. Embryos deficient in opa die before hatching with aberrant segmentation but also with defects in larval midgut formation. Post-embryonically, opa plays important roles in adult head development and circadian rhythm. Based on extensive neural expression, opa is predicted to be involved in many aspects of neural development and behavior, like other proteins of the Zic family. Consensus DNA binding sites have been identified for Opa and have been shown to activate transcription in vivo. However, there is evidence Opa may serve as a transcriptional regulator in the absence of direct DNA binding, as has been seen for other Zic proteins.
Keywords odd-paired · opa · Zic · Drosophila · Segmentation · Visceral mesoderm
· Head development · Zinc finger transcription factor