High impact information on lola

• Alternative trans-splicing of constant and variable exons of a Drosophila axon guidance gene, lola [1].
• We show here that lola mRNAs are generated by alternative trans-splicing of exons sequentially encoded by the same DNA strand [1].
• Alternative splicing of lola generates 19 transcription factors controlling axon guidance in Drosophila [2].
• All lola isoforms share a common dimerization domain, but 17 have their own unique DNA-binding domains [2].
• Analysis of the expression patterns of individual splice variants and of the phenotypes of mutants lacking single isoforms supports this idea and establishes that the alternative forms of lola are responsible for different functions of this gene [2].

Biological context of lola

• A developmentally regulated splice variant from the complex lola locus encoding multiple different zinc finger domain proteins interacts with the chromosomal kinase JIL-1 [3].
• Southern blot and nucleotide sequence analyses revealed a related gene in Drosophila melanogaster (the lola gene) previously identified by a genetic approach as involved in axon growth and guidance [4].
• Transfection assays in cells in culture with lola gene expression vectors and in situ hybridization experiments with lola gene mutants finally provided evidence that the copia retrotransposon is regulated by this neurogenic gene in D.melanogaster, with a repressor effect in the central nervous systems of the embryos [4].
• The lola gene encodes at least two nuclear protein products, apparently by differential RNA splicing [5].
• Since the BTB domain mediates dimerization, lola encodes a family of transcription regulators with a large variety of DNA- or protein-binding specificities, and could be involved in various developmental processes, including the embryonic neural pathfindings [6].

Anatomical context of lola

• We now show that lola mutations also cause defects of axon growth and guidance in the peripheral nervous system, and causes a particular cluster of embryonic sense organs (lch5) to be oriented improperly [5].

Other interactions of lola

• Thus, genetic interaction assays provide direct evidence that gene products from the lola locus function within the same pathway as the chromosomal kinase JIL-1 [3].
• Like Ttk and BR-C, one of the two characterized products of the lola locus bears sequences similar to the zinc-finger motif, but the other (neuronal) form of the protein has no recognizable DNA-binding motif [5].
• A second group is potentially required for the regulation of Cut expression and/or activity and includes longitudinals lacking, a gene that encodes a family of BTB-domain zinc-finger transcription factors [7].
• Genetic and cytological analysis of these strains shows that 42 mutations affect previously isolated genes that are known to be required for PNS development: longitudinals lacking (19), mastermind (15), numb (4), big brain (2), and spitz (2) [8].

Analytical, diagnostic and therapeutic context of lola

• Molecular cloning and characterization of a transcription factor for the copia retrotransposon with homology to the BTB-containing lola neurogenic factor [4].

References