<i>Drosophila</i> Fezf functions as a transcriptional repressor to direct layer-specific synaptic connectivity in the fly visual system
Ivan J. Santiago, Dawei Zhang, Arunesh Saras, Nicholas Pontillo, Chundi Xu, Xiaoting Chen, Matthew T. Weirauch, Meeta Mistry, David D. Ginty, Matthew Y. Pecot, Jing Peng
Abstract
Significance Functionally relevant neuronal connections are often organized within discrete layers of neuropil to ensure proper connectivity and information processing. While layer-specific assembly of neuronal connectivity is a dynamic process involving stepwise interactions between different neuron types, the mechanisms underlying this critical developmental process are not well understood. Here, we investigate the role of the transcription factor dFezf in layer selection within the Drosophila visual system, which is important for synaptic specificity. Our findings show that dFezf functions as a transcriptional repressor governing the precise temporal expression pattern of downstream genes, including other transcription factors required for proper connectivity. Layer-specific assembly of neuronal connectivity in the fly visual system is thus orchestrated by precise, temporally controlled transcriptional cascades.