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Abstract: The basic helix–loop–helix (bHLH) transcriptional activator Ptf1a determines inhibitory GABAergic over excitatory glutamatergic neuronal cell fate in progenitors of the vertebrate dorsal spinal cord, cerebellum and retina. In an in situ hybridization expression survey of PR domain containing genes encoding putative chromatin-remodeling zinc finger transcription factors in Xenopus embryos, we identified Prdm13 as a histone methyltransferase belonging to the Ptf1a synexpression group. Gain and loss of Ptf1a function analyses in both frog and mice indicates that Prdm13 is positively regulated by Ptf1a and likely constitutes a direct transcriptional target. We also showed that this regulation requires the formation of the Ptf1a–Rbp-j complex. Prdm13 knockdown in Xenopus embryos and in Ptf1a overexpressing ectodermal explants lead to an upregulation of Tlx3/Hox11L2, which specifies a glutamatergic lineage and a reduction of the GABAergic neuronal marker Pax2. It also leads to an upregulation of Prdm13 transcription, suggesting an autonegative regulation. Conversely, in animal caps, Prdm13 blocks the ability of the bHLH factor Neurog2 to activate Tlx3. Additional gain of function experiments in the chick neural tube confirm that Prdm13 suppresses Tlx3+/glutamatergic and induces Pax2+/GABAergic neuronal fate. Thus, Prdm13 is a novel crucial component of the Ptf1a regulatory pathway that, by modulating the transcriptional activity of bHLH factors such as Neurog2, controls the balance between GABAergic and glutamatergic neuronal fate in the dorsal and caudal part of the vertebrate neural tube. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: It was first shown in the PR (PRDI-BF1 and RIZ homology) domain family proteins that the PR domain has homology to the SET (Su(var)3-9, Enhancer-of-zeste and Trithorax) domain, a catalytic domain of the histone lysine methyltransferases. Recently, there are many reports that the PR domain proteins have important roles in development and/or cell differentiation. In this report, we show the expression patterns of one of the mouse PR domain proteins, Prdm8, in the developing central nervous system. In the developing retina, Prdm8 expression was detected in postmitotic neurons in the inner nuclear layer and the ganglion cell layer, and its expression became restricted predominantly to the rod bipolar cells when retinogenesis was completed. In the developing spinal cord, Prdm8 was expressed first in the progenitor populations of ventral interneurons and motor neurons, and later in a subpopulation of interneurons. In the developing brain, Prdm8 expression was observed in postmitotic neurons in the intermediate zone and the cortical plate. In the postnatal brain, Prdm8 was expressed mainly in layer 4 neurons of the cerebral cortex. These results show that Prdm8 expression is tightly regulated in a spatio-temporal manner during neural development and mainly restricted to postmitotic neurons, except in the spinal cord. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]