title: Control of photoreceptor cell fate by the sevenless protein requires a functional tyrosine kinase domain.
abstract: The sevenless (sev) gene determines the fate of a single photoreceptor cell type in the eye of Drosophila. It encodes a putative cell-surface protein with homology to tyrosine kinases. Here we have determined the complete structure of the sev gene and have demonstrated that the role of the sev protein in this developmental decision is critically dependent on the tyrosine kinase function. In comparison with other known tyrosine kinases, the sev gene product is unique in size and structure. It is a polypeptide of 2554 amino acids with two putative transmembrane segments. A single amino acid substitution in the ATP-binding site of the putative kinase domain results in the synthesis of an inactive sev protein unable to determine cell fate.
authors.affiliation: Zoologisches Institut Universität Zürich, Switzerland.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Basler
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Hafen
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D002450:Cell Communication; D004247:DNA / Q000235:genetics; D004330:Drosophila; D029721:Drosophila Proteins; D004720:Endonucleases; D005136:Eye Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009154:Mutation; D009693:Nucleic Acid Hybridization; D010641:Phenotype; D010786:Photoreceptor Cells / Q000166:cytology* / Q000254:growth & development; D010957:Plasmids; D011505:Protein-Tyrosine Kinases / Q000235:genetics*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics; D020794:Receptor Protein-Tyrosine Kinases; D015719:Single-Strand Specific DNA and RNA Endonucleases; D014158:Transcription, Genetic
chemical_list: D029721:Drosophila Proteins; D005136:Eye Proteins; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D004247:DNA; D011505:Protein-Tyrosine Kinases; D020794:Receptor Protein-Tyrosine Kinases; C056737:sev protein, Drosophila; D004720:Endonucleases; D015719:Single-Strand Specific DNA and RNA Endonucleases