title: Indirect autoregulation of a homeotic Drosophila gene mediated by extracellular signaling.
abstract: Commitments to developmental pathways are often made and maintained in groups of cells. Such commitments are conferred by the products of selector genes, many of which are homeobox genes. Homeobox genes can maintain their expression by directly autoregulating their own transcription. Here, we report a case where positive autoregulation of Ultrabithorax, a homeotic Drosophila gene, is at least partly indirect and mediated by the extracellular signal molecules that are products of the genes wingless and decapentaplegic. Indirect autoregulatory mechanisms may be used to ensure coordinate maintenance of selector gene activity in groups of cells.
authors.affiliation: Zoological Institute, University of Zürich, Switzerland.
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Thüringer
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bienz
mesh_terms: D000483:Alleles; D000818:Animals; D004251:DNA Transposable Elements; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D004330:Drosophila / Q000196:embryology / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D029721:Drosophila Proteins; D004625:Embryo, Nonmammalian / Q000502:physiology; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D005801:Genes, Homeobox; D018398:Homeodomain Proteins; D006358:Hot Temperature; D007301:Insect Hormones / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D015398:Signal Transduction; D014157:Transcription Factors; D051155:Wnt1 Protein
chemical_list: D004251:DNA Transposable Elements; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D029721:Drosophila Proteins; D018398:Homeodomain Proteins; D007301:Insect Hormones; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins; D014157:Transcription Factors; C066177:Ubx protein, Drosophila; D051155:Wnt1 Protein; C064196:dpp protein, Drosophila; C074622:wg protein, Drosophila