DISTAL-LESS REGULATION DURING DROSOPHILA LEG DEVELOPMENT

这项工作的主要目标是了解分子机制。 这是整合信号通路以影响近端- 附件远端(PD)生长和图案化。尽管有很宽的 节肢动物和脊椎动物的多样性及其演化史 壁外生长，参与其生长的信号通路 图案是保守的。然而，其分子机制 这些调节形态发生的途径是未知的。因为. 这些途径的复杂性和互联性，通往 毫不含糊地阐明它们的功能是为了直接、 效应分子与靶基因的功能相互作用。这个 这项提案中概述的实验旨在从基因上识别 并表征控制分子顺式调节元件 远端无末端基因在果蝇腿形象盘中的表达 并通过生化方法鉴定它们与之相关的反式作用因子 请回答。远端缺失似乎是遗传的关键成员。 控制肢体发育和识别肢体的程序 调节其表达的成分将提供一个关键的分子 胚轴提供的位置信息与 PD轴的形成。这项工作也将提供机械的 探索附肢形成是否通过 不同动物的相似过程。

The broad goal of this work is to understand the molecular mechanisms that underlie the integration of signaling pathways to effect proximal- distal (PD) growth and patterning of appendages. Despite the wide diversity and evolutionary history of arthropod and vertebrate body wall outgrowths, the signaling pathways that are involved in their patterning are conserved. However, the molecular mechanisms by which these pathways act to mediate morphogenesis are unknown. Because of the complexity and interconnectivity of these pathways, the way to unambiguously elucidate their functions is to demonstrate direct, functional interaction of effector molecules with target genes. The experiments outlined in this proposal are designed to identify genetically and characterize molecularly cis-regulatory elements that control expression of the Distal-less gene in the Drosophila leg imaginal disc, and to biochemically identify the trans-acting factors to which they respond. Distal-less appears to be a key member of the genetic program that controls limb development, and identification of the components that regulate its expression will provide a crucial molecular link between positional information provided by embryonic axes and formation of the PD axis. This work will also provide the mechanistic foundation for exploring whether appendage formation operates by similar processes in different animals.