Abstract
An important aspect of the specification of neuronal fate is the choice of neurotransmitter. In Caenorhabditis elegans the neurotransmitter GABA is synthesized by the UNC-25 glutamic acid decarboxylase (GAD) and packaged into synaptic vesicles by the UNC-47 transporter. Both unc-25 and unc-47 are expressed in 26 GABAergic neurons of five different types. Previously, we have identified that the unc-30 homeobox gene controls the fate of 19 type D GABAergic neurons. We report here that the UNC-30 homeodomain protein transcriptionally regulates the expression of unc-25 and unc-47 in the 19 type D neurons. UNC-30 bound to the unc-25 and unc-47 promoters sequence-specifically. Mutations in the UNC-30 binding sites of the unc-25 and unc-47 promoters abolished the expression of reporter genes in the D neurons. The ectopic expression of UNC-30 induced the ectopic expression of reporter genes driven by the wild-type unc-25 and unc-47 promoters. Our data establish a mechanism for cell type-specific transcriptional coregulation of genes required for the synthesis and packaging of the neurotransmitter GABA.
Publication types
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Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
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Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.
MeSH terms
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Animals
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Base Sequence / genetics
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Caenorhabditis elegans / metabolism*
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Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins*
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Carrier Proteins / genetics*
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Carrier Proteins / metabolism
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DNA Footprinting
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GABA Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins
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Glutamate Decarboxylase / genetics*
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Glutamate Decarboxylase / metabolism
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Green Fluorescent Proteins
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Helminth Proteins / physiology*
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Homeodomain Proteins / classification
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Homeodomain Proteins / genetics
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Homeodomain Proteins / physiology*
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Luminescent Proteins / metabolism
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Male
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Membrane Proteins / genetics*
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Membrane Proteins / metabolism
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Membrane Transport Proteins*
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Molecular Sequence Data
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Mutation / physiology
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Neurons / metabolism
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Nuclear Proteins*
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Organic Anion Transporters*
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Promoter Regions, Genetic / genetics
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Transcription, Genetic / physiology*
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Vesicular Inhibitory Amino Acid Transport Proteins
Substances
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Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins
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Carrier Proteins
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GABA Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins
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Helminth Proteins
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Homeodomain Proteins
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Luminescent Proteins
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Membrane Proteins
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Membrane Transport Proteins
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Nuclear Proteins
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Organic Anion Transporters
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Vesicular Inhibitory Amino Acid Transport Proteins
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unc-30 protein, C elegans
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unc-47 protein, C elegans
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Green Fluorescent Proteins
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Glutamate Decarboxylase