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Capicua DNA-binding sites are general response elements for RTK signaling in Drosophila.

ABSTRACT: RTK/Ras/MAPK signaling pathways play key functions in metazoan development, but how they control expression of downstream genes is not well understood. In Drosophila, it is generally assumed that most transcriptional responses to RTK signal activation depend on binding of Ets-family proteins to specific cis-acting sites in target enhancers. Here, we show that several Drosophila RTK pathways control expression of downstream genes through common octameric elements that are binding sites for the HMG-box factor Capicua, a transcriptional repressor that is downregulated by RTK signaling in different contexts. We show that Torso RTK-dependent regulation of terminal gap gene expression in the early embryo critically depends on Capicua octameric sites, and that binding of Capicua to these sites is essential for recruitment of the Groucho co-repressor to the huckebein enhancer in vivo. We then show that subsequent activation of the EGFR RTK pathway in the neuroectodermal region of the embryo controls dorsal-ventral gene expression by downregulating the Capicua protein, and that this control also depends on Capicua octameric motifs. Thus, a similar mechanism of RTK regulation operates during subdivision of the anterior-posterior and dorsal-ventral embryonic axes. We also find that identical DNA octamers mediate Capicua-dependent regulation of another EGFR target in the developing wing. Remarkably, a simple combination of activator-binding sites and Capicua motifs is sufficient to establish complex patterns of gene expression in response to both Torso and EGFR activation in different tissues. We conclude that Capicua octamers are general response elements for RTK signaling in Drosophila.

SUBMITTER: Ajuria L

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3035094 | biostudies-literature |

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Project description:Transposable elements are powerful agents of evolution that can diversify transcriptional programs by distributing transcription factor DNA-binding sites throughout genomes. To investigate the extent that transposable elements provide transcription factor-binding motifs in Caenorhabditis elegans, we determined the genomic positions of DNA-binding motifs for 201 different transcription factors. Surprisingly, we found that almost all examined transcription factors have binding motifs that reside within transposable elements, and all types of transposable elements have at least 1 instance of a transcription factor motif, demonstrating that transposable elements provide previously unappreciated numbers of transcription factor-binding motifs to the C. elegans genome. After determining the occurrence of transcription factor motifs in transposable elements relative to the rest of the genome, we identified DNA-binding motifs for 45 different transcription factors that are greater than 20-fold enriched within transposable elements compared to what would be expected by chance. Consistent with potential functional roles for these transposable element-enriched transcription factor-binding sequences, we determined that all transcription factor motif types found in transposable elements have instances of residing within accessible chromatin sites associated with transcription factor binding. The overwhelming majority of transcription factor-binding motifs located within transposable elements associate with their cognate transcription factors, suggesting extensive binding of transcription factors to sequences within transposable elements. In addition, transposable elements with accessible or transcription factor-bound motifs reside in the putative promoter regions of approximately 12% of all protein-coding genes, providing widespread possibilities for influencing gene expression. This work represents the first comprehensive analysis of transposable element-transcription factor interactions in C. elegans and demonstrates that transposable element-provided transcription factor-binding sites are prevalent in this important model organism.

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Capicua DNA-binding sites are general response elements for RTK signaling in Drosophila.

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