An interplay between two EGF-receptor ligands, Vein and Spitz, is required for the formation of a subset of muscle precursors in Drosophila.
Activation of the Drosophila EGF-receptor (DER) is spatially and temporally controlled by the release of its various ligands. DER and its ligand Spitz mediate the formation of specific somatic muscle precursors. We show that a second DER ligand, Vein, complements the activity of Spitz in the development of various somatic muscle precursors. In vn mutant embryos, the DER-dependent muscle precursors do not form in some of the segments. This phenotype is significantly enhanced in embryos carrying only one copy of wild type spitz. Our analysis suggests that Vein activation of DER differs qualitatively from that of Spitz in that it does not lead to the expression of the inhibitory protein Argos, possibly leading to a continuous activation of the DER signaling pathway.
Yarnitzky
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Department of Molecular Genetics, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel.
Min
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Volk
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D000818:Animals; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D004330:Drosophila / Q000196:embryology*; D029721:Drosophila Proteins; D004625:Embryo, Nonmammalian / Q000378:metabolism; D004627:Embryonic Induction; D004815:Epidermal Growth Factor; D066246:ErbB Receptors / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D005136:Eye Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; D018398:Homeodomain Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D019476:Insect Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D008648:Mesoderm / Q000378:metabolism; D009132:Muscles / Q000196:embryology* / Q000378:metabolism*; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D020880:Neuregulins; D009687:Nuclear Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D011494:Protein Kinases; D018010:Receptors, Invertebrate Peptide / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D014157:Transcription Factors; D051879:Twist-Related Protein 1
D029721:Drosophila Proteins; D005136:Eye Proteins; D018398:Homeodomain Proteins; D019476:Insect Proteins; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; D020880:Neuregulins; D009687:Nuclear Proteins; D018010:Receptors, Invertebrate Peptide; C081481:Rho protein, Drosophila; C472498:Stet protein, Drosophila; D014157:Transcription Factors; D051879:Twist-Related Protein 1; C093053:oc protein, Drosophila; C075638:aos protein, Drosophila; C076026:spi protein, Drosophila; C102104:vn protein, Drosophila; D004815:Epidermal Growth Factor; D011494:Protein Kinases; C066532:Egfr protein, Drosophila; D066246:ErbB Receptors