Atrophin controls developmental signaling pathways via interactions with Trithorax-like

Cells with the same genetic information can look and behave differently to each other. This is because they can control the activity of their genes, changing the effects the genes have in the cell. Regulating genes in this way is important in allowing cells to adapt to their surroundings and to perform different tasks. Proteins called transcription factors control the activity of genes through other proteins called transcriptional co-activators and co-repressors. Atrophins are a group of co-repressors found in many animals including humans and fruit flies. Atrophins suppress the activity of certain genes, reducing the effects that they have in the cell. Losing Atrophin from cells can lead to severe diseases, but how Atrophin causes these effects is currently not well understood. Yeung et al. examined which genes Atrophin regulates in cells from the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster. This investigation revealed that, amongst other genes, Atrophin controls several well-studied genes including engrailed and thickveins. These genes are important in allowing cells to communicate and co-ordinate before birth, ensuring cells work together to build complex tissues and organs. These results suggest Atrophin plays key roles in organising and shaping the body before birth. Further examination revealed that Atrophin acts in partnership with another molecule called Trithorax-like. Inside the cell many genes are protected by structures called nucleosomes that make them difficult to access, and Trithorax-like helps Atrophin to gain access to these genes. Further work will examine whether Atrophin and Trithorax-like work directly together or if other molecules bring about their interaction. It will also be important to examine how Atrophins suppress the activity of the genes they control. Errors in Atrophin1 in humans result in a nerve-damaging disease known as DRPLA; this work could also help researchers to better understand this disorder.