Lhx2, a vertebrate homologue of apterous, regulates vertebrate limb outgrowth.
apterous specifies dorsal cell fate and directs outgrowth of the wing during Drosophila wing development. Here we show that, in vertebrates, these functions appear to be performed by two separate proteins. Lmx-1 is necessary and sufficient to specify dorsal identity and Lhx2 regulates limb outgrowth. Our results suggest that Lhx2 is closer to apterous than Lmx-1, yet, in vertebrates, Lhx2 does not specify dorsal cell fate. This implies that in vertebrates, unlike Drosophila, limb outgrowth can be dissociated from the establishment of the dorsoventral axis.
Rodriguez-Esteban
C
C
Gene Expression Laboratory, The Salk Institute, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA.
Schwabe
J W
JW
Peña
J D
JD
Rincon-Limas
D E
DE
Magallón
J
J
Botas
J
J
Izpisúa Belmonte
J C
JC
D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D019521:Body Patterning; D002642:Chick Embryo; D004330:Drosophila / Q000235:genetics; D029721:Drosophila Proteins; D005121:Extremities / Q000196:embryology*; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; D015723:Gene Library; D005822:Genetic Vectors; D005964:Glucosyltransferases; D018398:Homeodomain Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D017403:In Situ Hybridization; D019476:Insect Proteins / Q000032:analysis; D036341:Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; D060850:LIM-Homeodomain Proteins; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009024:Morphogenesis; D017351:N-Acetylglucosaminyltransferases; D011506:Proteins / Q000032:analysis; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins / Q000032:analysis; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D014921:Wings, Animal / Q000196:embryology; D051155:Wnt1 Protein
D029721:Drosophila Proteins; D018398:Homeodomain Proteins; D019476:Insect Proteins; D036341:Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; C489783:LHX2 protein, human; D060850:LIM-Homeodomain Proteins; D011506:Proteins; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins; D014157:Transcription Factors; D051155:Wnt1 Protein; C074459:ap protein, Drosophila; C074622:wg protein, Drosophila; D005964:Glucosyltransferases; D017351:N-Acetylglucosaminyltransferases; C491316:Rfng protein, rat; C491318:RFNG protein, human; C090576:fng protein, Drosophila