Krüppel, a Drosophila segmentation gene, participates in the specification of neurons and glial cells.
We report that the Drosophila segmentation gene Krüppel (Kr) is expressed in neural precursor cells, neurons and glial cells at different stages of neurogenesis and that Kr mutants develop aberrant peripheral (PNS) and central (CNS) nervous systems. Expression derived from a Kr minigene rescues the segmentation defects but these embryos continue to lack most of the neural Kr activity. Phenotypic analysis of the rescued embryos indicates that, in addition to overall effects on the PNS and CNS structure via its segmentation role, Kr expression in the nervous system is functionally required for establishing particular neural and glial fates.
Romani
S
S
Max-Planck-Institut für biophysikalische Chemie, Abt. Molekulare Entwicklungsbiologie, Göttingen, Germany.
Jimenez
F
F
Hoch
M
M
Patel
N H
NH
Taubert
H
H
Jäckle
H
H
D000818:Animals; D002490:Central Nervous System / Q000002:abnormalities / Q000196:embryology; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D004330:Drosophila; D029721:Drosophila Proteins; D019084:Fluorescent Antibody Technique, Indirect; D017344:Genes, Insect; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D051741:Kruppel-Like Transcription Factors; D018613:Microscopy, Confocal; D009154:Mutation; D009422:Nervous System Diseases / Q000235:genetics; D009457:Neuroglia / Q000502:physiology*; D009474:Neurons / Q000502:physiology*; D017933:Peripheral Nervous System / Q000002:abnormalities / Q000196:embryology; D012097:Repressor Proteins; D013997:Time Factors; D014018:Tissue Distribution; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000378:metabolism*
D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D029721:Drosophila Proteins; C497244:Kr protein, Drosophila; D051741:Kruppel-Like Transcription Factors; D012097:Repressor Proteins; D014157:Transcription Factors