Chip and apterous physically interact to form a functional complex during Drosophila development

Mol Cell. 1999 Aug;4(2):259-65. doi: 10.1016/s1097-2765(00)80373-1.

Abstract

LIM homeodomain (LIM-HD) proteins play key roles in a variety of developmental processes throughout the animal kingdom. Here we show that the LIM-binding protein Chip acts as a cofactor for the Drosophila LIM-HD family member Apterous (Ap) in wing development. We define the domains of Chip required for LIM-HD binding and for homodimerization and show that mutant proteins deleted for these domains act in a dominant-negative fashion to disrupt Ap function. Our results support a model for multimeric complexes containing Chip and Ap in transcriptional regulation. This model is confirmed by the activity of a chimeric fusion between Chip and Ap that reconstitutes the complex and rescues the ap mutant phenotype.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Animals, Genetically Modified
  • Dimerization
  • Drosophila / genetics
  • Drosophila / growth & development
  • Drosophila / physiology*
  • Drosophila Proteins*
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental
  • Genes, Reporter
  • Homeodomain Proteins*
  • Insect Proteins / metabolism
  • LIM-Homeodomain Proteins
  • Nuclear Proteins / genetics
  • Nuclear Proteins / metabolism*
  • Recombinant Proteins / metabolism
  • Transcription Factors / genetics
  • Transcription Factors / metabolism*
  • Wings, Animal / abnormalities
  • Wings, Animal / growth & development

Substances

  • Chi protein, Drosophila
  • Drosophila Proteins
  • Homeodomain Proteins
  • Insect Proteins
  • LIM-Homeodomain Proteins
  • Nuclear Proteins
  • Recombinant Proteins
  • Transcription Factors
  • ap protein, Drosophila