| RRC ID |
65307
|
| Author |
Bayer EA, Stecky RC, Neal L, Katsamba PS, Ahlsen G, Balaji V, Hoppe T, Shapiro L, Oren-Suissa M, Hobert O.
|
| Title |
Ubiquitin-dependent regulation of a conserved DMRT protein controls sexually dimorphic synaptic connectivity and behavior.
|
| Journal |
Elife
|
| Abstract |
Sex-specific synaptic connectivity is beginning to emerge as a remarkable, but little explored feature of animal brains. We describe here a novel mechanism that promotes sexually dimorphic neuronal function and synaptic connectivity in the nervous system of the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans. We demonstrate that a phylogenetically conserved, but previously uncharacterized Doublesex/Mab-3 related transcription factor (DMRT), dmd-4, is expressed in two classes of sex-shared phasmid neurons specifically in hermaphrodites but not in males. We find dmd-4 to promote hermaphrodite-specific synaptic connectivity and neuronal function of phasmid sensory neurons. Sex-specificity of DMD-4 function is conferred by a novel mode of posttranslational regulation that involves sex-specific protein stabilization through ubiquitin binding to a phylogenetically conserved but previously unstudied protein domain, the DMA domain. A human DMRT homolog of DMD-4 is controlled in a similar manner, indicating that our findings may have implications for the control of sexual differentiation in other animals as well.
|
| Volume |
9
|
| Published |
2020-10-6
|
| DOI |
10.7554/eLife.59614
|
| PII |
59614
|
| PMID |
33021200
|
| PMC |
PMC7538159
|
| MeSH |
Animals
Behavior, Animal
Caenorhabditis elegans / genetics
Caenorhabditis elegans / metabolism
Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins* / genetics
Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins* / metabolism
Disorders of Sex Development
Female
Gene Knockout Techniques
Humans
Male
Neurons / metabolism*
Sex Characteristics*
Synaptic Transmission / genetics
Transcription Factors* / genetics
Transcription Factors* / metabolism
Ubiquitin / metabolism*
|
| Resource |
| C.elegans |
tm1951 |
