Control of G2/M Transition by Drosophila Fos

The transcription factors of the Fos family have long been associated with the control of cell proliferation, although the molecular and cellular mechanisms that mediate this function are poorly understood. We investigated the contributions of Fos to the cell cycle and cell growth control using Drosophila imaginal discs as a genetically accessible system. The RNA interference-mediated inhibition of Fos in proliferating cells of the wing and eye discs resulted in a specific defect in the G2-to-M-phase transition, while cell growth remained unimpaired, resulting in a marked reduction in organ size. Consistent with the conclusion that Fos is required for mitosis, we identified cyclin B as a direct transcriptional target of Fos in Drosophila melanogaster, with Fos binding to a region upstream of the cyclin B gene in vivo and cyclin B mRNA being specifically reduced under Fos loss-of-function conditions.