Acetylcholine receptors of theDrosophila brain: A 900 bp promoter fragment contains the essential information for specific expression of theard gene in vivo

Abstract
Theard gene encodes a β‐subunit ofDrosophila nicotinic acetylcholine receptors specifically expressed in a subset of neurons. To identify thecis‐regulatory region responsible for this cell‐specific expression, various 5′ fragments of theard gene were fused to alacZ reporter gene and introduced into theDrosophila genome. A DNA fragment spanning ∼760 bp upstream and ∼140 bp downstream of a cluster of putative transcription start sites produced a pattern of β‐galactosidase activity that resembles the distribution of ARD transcripts. Both in embryos and adults the levels oflacZ RNA were similar to those of endogenous ARD transcripts, suggesting that the 900 bp fragment harbors all essential elements for proper expression of theard gene.

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