Nagel, A.C., Maier, D., Krauss, S., Mezger, M., Preiss, A. (2004). Neurogenic phenotypes induced by RNA interference with bHLH genes of the Enhancer of split complex of Drosophila melanogaster.  genesis 39(2): 105--114.

FBrf0179357

Research paper

The Enhancer of split gene complex [E(spl)-C] of Drosophila melanogaster harbors seven highly related genes encoding transcriptional regulators with a basic helix-loop-helix (bHLH) domain. They are activated by the Notch signaling pathway in order to inhibit proneural gene activity, for example, during neurogenesis in the developing embryo. The E(spl) proteins are at least partly redundant, despite some remarkable differences in their expression patterns. We attempted to address the degree of redundancy by means of RNA interference. We find a quantitative correlation between the degree of a neurogenic phenotype and the number of genes affected. Surprisingly, interference with m3 results in a high rate of mortality which cannot be reproduced by genetic mutation. Most likely, m3 dsRNA interferes with unrelated genes involved in other aspects of embryonic development.