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bioRxiv · 10.1101/576736

The transcription factor Odd-paired regulates temporal identity in transit-amplifying neural progenitors via an incoherent feed-forward loop

Abdusselamoglu, M. D.·Eroglu, E.·Burkard, T. R.·Knoblich, J.
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Abstract

Neural progenitors undergo temporal patterning to generate diverse neurons in a chronological order. This process is well-studied in the developing Drosophila brain and conserved in mammals. During larval stages, intermediate neural progenitors (INPs) serially express Dichaete (D), grainyhead (Grh) and eyeless (Ey/Pax6), but how the transitions are regulated is not precisely understood. Here, we developed a method to isolate transcriptomes of INPs in their distinct temporal states to identify a complete set of temporal patterning factors. Our analysis identifies odd-paired (opa), as a key regulator of temporal patterning. Temporal patterning is initiated when the SWI/SNF complex component Osa induces D and its repressor Opa at the same time but with distinct kinetics. Then, high Opa levels repress D to allow Grh transcription and progress to the next temporal state. We propose that Osa and its target genes opa and D form an incoherent feedforward loop (FFL) and a new mechanism allowing the successive expression of temporal identities.

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Abdusselamoglu, M. D., Eroglu, E., Burkard, T. R., Knoblich, J.. 2019-03-14. The transcription factor Odd-paired regulates temporal identity in transit-amplifying neural progenitors via an incoherent feed-forward loop. https://doi.org/10.1101/576736

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