The zinc-finger protein Zelda is a key activator of the early zygotic genome in Drosophila

Hsiao-Lan Liang, Chung-Yi Nien, Hsiao-Yun Liu, Mark M. Metzstein, Nikolai Kirov and Christine Rushlow ()
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Hsiao-Lan Liang: New York University, 100 Washington Square East, New York, New York 10003, USA
Chung-Yi Nien: New York University, 100 Washington Square East, New York, New York 10003, USA
Hsiao-Yun Liu: New York University, 100 Washington Square East, New York, New York 10003, USA
Mark M. Metzstein: Institute of Human Genetics, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah 84112, USA
Nikolai Kirov: New York University, 100 Washington Square East, New York, New York 10003, USA
Christine Rushlow: New York University, 100 Washington Square East, New York, New York 10003, USA

Nature, 2008, vol. 456, issue 7220, 400-403

Abstract: The zygotic genome takes charge The earliest events of embryogenesis are controlled by maternal gene products in the oocyte, however, at some point after fertilization the zygotic genome becomes activated. It is known that many of the early transcribed genes in Drosophila share a cis-regulatory heptamer motif. This paper reports that the zinc-finger protein, Zelda (Zld), binds specifically to these sites, and is capable of activating transcription in transient transfection assays. Mutant embryos lacking this protein are defective in the cellularization process, and fail to activate many genes essential for cellularization, sex determination, and dorsoventral patterning.

Date: 2008
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DOI: 10.1038/nature07388

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