Double-segment defining role of even-skipped homologs along the evolution of insect pattern formation.
Recent studies on insect patterning suggest that the genetic hierarchy may be roughly conserved in phylogenetically divergent species, but pair-rule genes may not function identically in all insects. In order to understand potential evolutionary changes in the role of the pair-rule genes, a Bombyx even-skipped homolog was cloned and its expression pattern during early embryogenesis studied. Eight stripes of Bombyx even-skipped were progressively expressed in an antero-posterior order. Later, these stripes disappeared anteriorly. Under this detection system, Bombyx even-skipped stripes clearly do not resolve into the corresponding secondary stripes, an obvious difference from Drosophila and Tribolium. These results suggest that Bombyx even-skipped may serve a double-segment defining role and may determine the odd-numbered engrailed stripes.
Xu
X
X
Department of Developmental Biology, National Institute for Basic Biology, Okazaki, Japan.
Xu
P X
PX
Amanai
K
K
Suzuki
Y
Y
D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D001483:Base Sequence; D012831:Bombyx / Q000196:embryology* / Q000235:genetics*; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D018076:DNA, Complementary / Q000235:genetics; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D029721:Drosophila Proteins; D019143:Evolution, Molecular; D005260:Female; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; D017344:Genes, Insect; D018398:Homeodomain Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D017403:In Situ Hybridization; D019476:Insect Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D051741:Kruppel-Like Transcription Factors; D008297:Male; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D012097:Repressor Proteins; D017386:Sequence Homology, Amino Acid; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000235:genetics
D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D018076:DNA, Complementary; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D029721:Drosophila Proteins; D018398:Homeodomain Proteins; D019476:Insect Proteins; D051741:Kruppel-Like Transcription Factors; D012097:Repressor Proteins; D014157:Transcription Factors; C052837:eve protein, Drosophila; C061245:hb protein, Drosophila