Maternal control of Drosophila segmentation gene expression.
Maternal control of Drosophila segmentation gene expression.
复制标题
果蝇分割基因表达的母体控制。
作者：
Carroll,SB;Winslow,GM;Schupbach,T;Scott,MP
在果蝇黑腹果蝇的发育过程中，已经确定了几个参与建立分节体模式的基因。根据在突变胚胎中观察到的野生型分割模式的改变类型，这些可分为几类。例如，pair-rule1类的突变，如fushi tarazu(ftz) 1-3，会导致具有两段周期性的模式元素的删除；如asknirps1,4等间隙class1会导致相邻的段组被删除。抗theftzprotein抗体的可用性使其在野生型和突变型胚胎发育过程中的空间表达模式得以研究。后一种实验的目的是研究这些重要基因之间可能的相互作用。我们最近报道，在胚胎发生过程中常见的横条纹表达模式发生了显著的改变。Knirpsis是一种合子表达的基因，但最近发现了一类具有母体活性的基因，它们在模式形成方面会导致类似的缺陷7 - 9。我们现在已经研究了这类突变体的表达模式，并发现虽然它们确实具有在knirpsmutants中看到的特征，但它们也表现出不同突变之间的显着差异，反映了不同但重叠的基因活性域。这些观察结果表明，母系活跃的分割基因调节合子基因的表达，并且它们的一些作用可能是通过knirps基因指导的。
Several genes have been identified that are involved in establishing the segmented body pattern during development of the fruit-flyDrosophila melanogaster. These fall into several classes on the basis of the kind of alteration to the wild-type segmentation pattern observed in mutant embryos. For example, mutations of the pair-rule1class, such asfushi tarazu(ftz)1–3, cause the deletion of pattern elements with a two-segment periodicity; those of the gap class1, such asknirps1,4, cause the deletion of contiguous groups of segments. The availability of antibodies against theftzprotein has allowed its spatial pattern of expression to be studied during the development of wild-type5and mutant6embryos. The aim of the latter kind of experiment is to investigate possible interactions between these important genes. We have recently reported thatknirpsmutations cause a striking alteration to the pattern of transverse stripes offtzexpression usually seen during embry-ogenesis6.Knirpsis a zygotically-expressed gene, but recently a class of maternally-active genes has been identified that causes similar defects in pattern formation7–9. We have now investigated the pattern offtzexpression in mutants of this class and have found that while they do have features seen inknirpsmutants, they also exhibit significant differences between the different mutations reflecting the distinct but overlapping domains of gene activity. These observations demonstrate that maternally-active segmentation genes regulate zygotic gene expression, and that some of their effects onftzmay be directed through theknirpsgene.