Skip to main content

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript.

  • Letter
  • Published:

Role of transcription factors a Brn-3.1 and Brn-3.2 in auditory and visual system development

Nature volume 381, pages 603–606 (1996)Cite this article

Abstract

THE neurally expressed genes Brn-3.1 and Brn-3.2 (refs 1–6) are mammalian orthologues of the Caenorhabditis elegans unc-86 gene7 that constitute, with Brn-3.0 (refs 1–3,8,9), the class IV POU-domain transcription factors10. Brn-3.1 and Brn-3.2 provide a means of exploring the potentially distinct biological functions of expanded gene families in neural development. The highly related members of the Brn-3 family have similar DNA-binding preferences1,2 and overlapping expression patterns in the sensory nervous system, midbrain and hindbrain1–6,8,9, suggesting functional redundancy. Here we report that Brn-3.1 and Brn-3.2 critically modulate the terminal differentiation of distinct sensorineural cells in which they exhibit selective spatial and temporal expression patterns. Deletion of the Brn-3.2 gene causes the loss of most retinal ganglion cells, defining distinct ganglion cell populations. Mutation of Brn-3.1 results in complete deafness, owing to a failure of hair cells to appear in the inner ear, with subsequent loss of cochlear and vestibular ganglia.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution

Access options

Buy this article

  • Purchase on Springer Link
  • Instant access to full article PDF
Buy now

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Gerrero, M. R. et al. Proc. natn. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 90, 10841–10845 (1993).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  2. Turner, E. E., Jenne, K. J. & Rosenfeld, M. G. Neuron 12, 205–218 (1994).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. Xiang, M. et al. J. Neurosci. 15, 4762–4785 (1995).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. Xiang, M. et al. Neuron 11, 689–701 (1993).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. Lillycrop, K. A. et al. Nucleic Acids Res. 20, 5093–5096 (1992).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. Ninkina, N. N., Stevens, G. E., Wood, J. N. & Richardson, W. D. Nucleic Acids Res. 21, 3175–3182 (1993).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. Finney, M., Ruvkun, G. & Horvitz, H. R. Cell 55, 757–769 (1988).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. He, X. et al. Nature 340, 35–42 (1989).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. Collum, R. G. et al. Nucleic Acids Res. 20, 4919–4925 (1992).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. Wegner, M., Drolet, D. W. & Rosenfeld, M. G. Curr. Opin. Cell. Biol. 5, 488–498 (1993).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  11. Sidman, R. L. in The Structure of the Eye (ed. Smelser, G. K.) 487–506 (Academic, New York, 1961).

    Google Scholar 

  12. Young, R. W. Anat. Rec. 212, 199–205 (1985).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  13. Fedtsova, N. & Turner, E. E. Mech. Dev. 53, 291–304 (1995).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  14. Xia, Y.-R. et al. Genomics 18, 126–130 (1993).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  15. Leon, P. E., Raventos, H., Lynch, E., Morrow, J. & King, M.-C. Proc. natn. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 89, 5181–5184 (1992).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  16. Kelley, M. W., Xu, X.-M., Wagner, M. A., Warchol, M. E. & Corwin, J. T. Development 119, 1041–1055 (1993).

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  17. Ernfors, P. & Lee, K.-F. Nature 368, 147–150 (1994).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  18. Ernfors, P., Van De Water, T., Loring, J. & Jaenisch, R. Neuron 14, 1153–1164 (1995).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  19. Fannas, I., Jones, K. R., Backus, C., Wang, X.-Y. & Reichardt, L. F. Nature 369, 658–661 (1994).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  20. Finney, M. & Ruvkun, G. Cell 63, 895–905 (1990).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  21. Schonemann, M. D. et al. Genes Dev. 9, 3122–3135 (1995).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  22. Mansour, S. L., Thomas, K. R. & Capecchi, M. R. Nature 336, 348–352 (1988).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  23. Dräger, U. C. & Olsen, J. F. Invest. Ophthalmol. vis. Sci. 20, 285–293 (1981).

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  24. Wäsle, H., Chun, M. H. & Müller, F. J. comp. Neurol. 265, 391–408 (1987).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  25. Wong, R. O. & Hughes, A. J. comp. Neurol. 255, 159–177 (1987).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  26. Rapaport, D. H. & Vietri, A. J. comp. Neurol. 312, 341–352 (1991).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  27. Stone, J. The Wholemount Handbook (Maitland, Sydney, 1981).

    Google Scholar 

  28. Luo, L., Koutnouyan, H., Baird, A. & Ryan, A. F. Hearing Res. 69, 182–193 (1993).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  29. Simmons, D. M. et al. Genes Dev. 4, 695–711 (1990).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  30. Crenshaw, E. B., Ryan, A., Dillon, S. R., Kalla, K. & Rosenfeld, M. G. J. Neurosci. 11, 1524–1530 (1991).

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Department and School of Medicine, University of California, San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, California, 92093, USA

    Linda Erkman, Robert J. McEvilly, Aimee K. Ryan, Farideh Hooshmand, Shawn M. O'Connell & Michael G. Rosenfeld

  2. Department of Surgery, Division of Anatomy, University of California, San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, California, 92093, USA

    David H. Rapaport

  3. VA Medical Center and Departments of Surgery/Otolaryngology and Neurosciences, University of California, San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, California, 92093, USA

    Lin Luo, Elizabeth M. Keithley & Alien F. Ryan

Authors
  1. Linda Erkman
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Robert J. McEvilly
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Lin Luo
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Aimee K. Ryan
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Farideh Hooshmand
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. Shawn M. O'Connell
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  7. Elizabeth M. Keithley
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  8. David H. Rapaport
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  9. Alien F. Ryan
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  10. Michael G. Rosenfeld
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Erkman, L., McEvilly, R., Luo, L. et al. Role of transcription factors a Brn-3.1 and Brn-3.2 in auditory and visual system development. Nature 381, 603–606 (1996). https://doi.org/10.1038/381603a0

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/381603a0

Comments

By submitting a comment you agree to abide by our Terms and Community Guidelines. If you find something abusive or that does not comply with our terms or guidelines please flag it as inappropriate.

Search

Advanced search

Quick links

Nature Briefing

Sign up for the Nature Briefing newsletter — what matters in science, free to your inbox daily.

Get the most important science stories of the day, free in your inbox. Sign up for Nature Briefing