Ventral neuroblasts and the heartless FGF receptor are required for muscle founder cell specification in Drosophila.
Muscle founder cells are uniquely specified cells that fuse with neighboring myoblasts to generate the complex pattern of body wall muscles in the Drosophila embryo. We have investigated the positional specification of founder cells for ventral oblique muscles, marked by the restricted expression of tinman RNA and the activity of a D-mef2 enhancer. The formation of these ventral myoblasts requires the function of the Heartless FGF receptor in the mesoderm and the presence of ventral neuroblasts in the central nervous system. Overproduction of ventral neuroblasts due to the forced expression of the homeodomain protein Vnd leads to increased numbers of founder cells. These results suggest the use of a neuroectoderm-to-mesoderm signaling pathway in the specification of ventral muscle precursors.
Schulz
R A
RA
Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston 77030, USA.
Gajewski
K
K
D000818:Animals; D019070:Cell Lineage; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D004330:Drosophila / Q000166:cytology / Q000196:embryology* / Q000378:metabolism; D029721:Drosophila Proteins; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; D064326:MEF2 Transcription Factors; D009132:Muscles / Q000166:cytology* / Q000196:embryology; D018006:Myogenic Regulatory Factors; D009474:Neurons / Q000502:physiology*; D011505:Protein-Tyrosine Kinases; D017468:Receptors, Fibroblast Growth Factor / Q000502:physiology*; D012097:Repressor Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D015534:Trans-Activators / Q000235:genetics; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000235:genetics
D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D029721:Drosophila Proteins; D064326:MEF2 Transcription Factors; C499409:Mef2 protein, Drosophila; D018006:Myogenic Regulatory Factors; D017468:Receptors, Fibroblast Growth Factor; D012097:Repressor Proteins; D015534:Trans-Activators; D014157:Transcription Factors; C102933:tin protein, Drosophila; D011505:Protein-Tyrosine Kinases; C102667:htl protein, Drosophila