title: EGF domain swap converts a drosophila EGF receptor activator into an inhibitor.
abstract: In Drosophila the function of the epidermal growth factor (EGF) receptor is modulated zygotically by three EGF-like proteins: Spitz (Spi), which is a potent activator; Vein (Vn), which is a moderate activator; and Argos (Aos), which is an inhibitor. Chimeric molecules were constructed in which the EGF domain of Vn was swapped with the EGF domain from each factor. The modified Vn proteins behaved both in vitro and in vivo with properties characteristic of the factor from which the EGF domain was derived. These results demonstrate that the EGF domain is the key determinant that gives DER inhibitors and activators their distinct properties.
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Genetics, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio 43210 USA.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Schnepp
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Donaldson
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Grumbling
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ostrowski
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Schweitzer
authors.forename: B Z
authors.initials: BZ
authors.lastname: Shilo
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Simcox
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D004330:Drosophila / Q000235:genetics*; D029721:Drosophila Proteins; D004815:Epidermal Growth Factor / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology; D066246:ErbB Receptors / Q000819:agonists / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000187:drug effects*; D005123:Eye / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000187:drug effects*; D005136:Eye Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics; D005818:Genetic Engineering; D019476:Insect Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000502:physiology; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics; D020880:Neuregulins; D010641:Phenotype; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000494:pharmacology*; D016415:Sequence Alignment; D017386:Sequence Homology, Amino Acid; D014921:Wings, Animal / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000187:drug effects*
chemical_list: D029721:Drosophila Proteins; D005136:Eye Proteins; D019476:Insect Proteins; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; D020880:Neuregulins; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins; C075638:aos protein, Drosophila; C076026:spi protein, Drosophila; C102104:vn protein, Drosophila; D004815:Epidermal Growth Factor; D066246:ErbB Receptors