Determination of spatial domains of zygotic gene expression in the Drosophila embryo by the affinity of binding sites for the bicoid morphogen.
The maternal gene bicoid is a key component of the system that determines the pattern of the anterior half of Drosophila embryos. The bicoid protein forms a concentration gradient in early embryos, and is known to bind DNA. Specific binding sites are now shown to confer expression in a region of the embryo that depends on their affinity for bicoid protein: sites of high affinity allow expression further down the bicoid protein gradient than sites of low affinity.
Driever
W
W
Max-Planck-Institut für Entwicklungsbiologie, Abteilung Genetik, Tübingen, FRG.
Thoma
G
G
Nüsslein-Volhard
C
C
D000818:Animals; D001665:Binding Sites; D004247:DNA / Q000378:metabolism*; D004330:Drosophila / Q000196:embryology / Q000235:genetics*; D029721:Drosophila Proteins; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D006360:Heat-Shock Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D018398:Homeodomain Proteins; D007301:Insect Hormones / Q000235:genetics*; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic; D012045:Regulatory Sequences, Nucleic Acid; D015534:Trans-Activators; D015053:Zygote / Q000378:metabolism*; D001616:beta-Galactosidase / Q000235:genetics
D029721:Drosophila Proteins; D006360:Heat-Shock Proteins; D018398:Homeodomain Proteins; D007301:Insect Hormones; D015534:Trans-Activators; C056478:bcd protein, Drosophila; D004247:DNA; D001616:beta-Galactosidase