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Updated: May 13, 2026

Quantitative Comparison of cis-Regulatory Element (CRE) Activities in Transgenic Drosophila melanogaster
Published on: December 19, 2011
Expanding roles for the evolutionarily conserved Dmrt sex transcriptional regulators during embryogenesis
Eric J Bellefroid1, Lucas Leclère, Amandine Saulnier
1Laboratoire de Génétique du Développement, Institut de Biologie et de Médecine Moléculaires (IBMM), Université Libre de Bruxelles, rue des Profs. Jeener et Brachet 12, 6041, Gosselies, Belgium, ebellefr@ulb.ac.be.
Abstract:
Dmrt genes encode a large family of transcription factors characterized by the presence of a DM domain, an unusual zinc finger DNA binding domain. While Dmrt genes are well known for their important role in sexual development in arthropodes, nematodes and vertebrates, several new findings indicate emerging functions of this gene family in other developmental processes. Here, we provide an overview of the evolution, structure and mechanisms of action of Dmrt genes. We summarize recent findings on their function in sexual regulation and discuss more extensively the role played by these proteins in somitogenesis and neural development.
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