Ld. Attardi et al., ECTOPIC EXPRESSION OF WILD-TYPE OR A DOMINANT-NEGATIVE MUTANT OF TRANSCRIPTION FACTOR NTF-1 DISRUPTS NORMAL DROSOPHILA DEVELOPMENT, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United Statesof America, 90(22), 1993, pp. 10563-10567
The Drosophila melanogaster tissue-specific transcription factor NTF-1
was originally identified in vitro as a protein that could bind to an
d activate transcription from the Dopa decarboxylase (Ddc) gene. A str
ucture-function analysis of NTF-1 led to the identification of a discr
ete amino-terminal activation domain. Here, we report that an NTF-1 mu
tant lacking the activation domain acts as a trans-dominant inhibitor
of NTF-1 activation in tissue culture cells by forming inactive hetero
dimers with the full-length protein. Ectopically expressing this domin
ant-negative protein or the full-length protein in developing Drosophi
la embryos leads to dire developmental consequences. Overexpressing th
e trans-dominant NTF-1 leads to lethality, while overexpressing full-l
ength NTF-1 results in both lethality and morphogenetic defects. Our r
esults suggest that both the activity and the regulation of NTF-1 are
critical for viability and proper development of the fly.