Apterous is a Drosophila LIM domain gene required for the development of a subset of embryonic muscles.
The recently discovered LIM motif is found in a set of homeodomain-containing proteins thought to mediate the generation of particular cell types. Of the four LIM domain family members described to date, mec-3 and lin-11 determine cell lineages in C. elegans. Isl-1 and Xlim-1 may play similar roles in vertebrates. We have identified a Drosophila member of this class, the product of the apterous (ap) gene. During embryogenesis, ap is expressed in a small subset of fusing mesodermal precursors that give rise to 6 muscles in each abdominal hemisegment and in 5 neurons within each corresponding CNS hemisegment. Lack of ap function results in loss of ap-expressing muscles, while misexpression of ap using a heterologous promoter produces ectopic muscles.
Bourgouin
C
C
Molecular Neurobiology Laboratory, Salk Institute, San Diego, California 92138.
Lundgren
S E
SE
Thomas
J B
JB
D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D002490:Central Nervous System / Q000196:embryology; D002828:Choristoma / Q000235:genetics; D004330:Drosophila / Q000196:embryology / Q000235:genetics*; D005314:Embryonic and Fetal Development; D004742:Enhancer Elements, Genetic; D015870:Gene Expression; D005796:Genes; D005821:Genetic Techniques; D008648:Mesoderm / Q000502:physiology; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009132:Muscles / Q000196:embryology*; D010525:Peripheral Nerves / Q000196:embryology