Localization of the POU protein IMB in Drosophila neurons

• Main Authors: Wei-Yu Chen, 陳薇聿
• Other Authors: 簡正鼎
• Format: Others
• Language: en_US
• Published: 2007
• Online Access: http://ndltd.ncl.edu.tw/handle/53256755866797409302

碩士 === 臺北醫學大學 === 細胞及分子生物研究所 === 95 === The Drosophila Immobile (IMB) protein is a putative transcription factor that contains two DNA binding domains, a POU-specific domain and a homeobox domain. To characterize the localization of IMB, the Drosophila GAL4/UAS system was used to express different truncated forms of IMB and expression patterns of IMB constructs were observed in the Drosophila neuronal cell line, BG3-C2. Full-length IMB was predominantly localized in nuclei but was also observed in the cytoplasm and neurites. While the IMB C-terminal fragment with the two DNA binding domains located in nuclei, the IMB N-terminus without the DNA binding domains had preference to localize in the cytoplasm and neurites. Interestingly, full-length IMB displayed circular, donut-like structures spreading in whole cells. Furthermore, Drosophila central brain was used as an in vivo system to examine the expression patterns of these truncated IMB proteins. While the full-length and the C-terminal fragment of IMB localized mainly in nuclei, the N-terminus of IMB could be located in nuclei as well as axonal termini. Taken together, based on ectopic expression in cell lines and in Drosophila nervous systems, it is assumed that the transcriptional factor IMB may play a novel role in the cytoplasm.