title: High bicoid levels render the terminal system dispensable for Drosophila head development.
abstract: In Drosophila, the gradient of the Bicoid (Bcd) morphogen organizes the anteroposterior axis while the ends of the embryo are patterned by the maternal terminal system. At the posterior pole, expression of terminal gap genes is mediated by the local activation of the Torso receptor tyrosine kinase (Tor). At the anterior, terminal gap genes are also activated by the Tor pathway but Bcd contributes to their activation. Here we present evidence that Tor and Bcd act independently on common target genes in an additive manner. Furthermore, we show that the terminal maternal system is not required for proper head development, since high levels of Bcd activity can functionally rescue the lack of terminal system activity at the anterior pole. This observation is consistent with a recent evolution of an anterior morphogenetic center consisting of Bcd and anterior Tor function.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, New York University, New York NY 10003 USA.
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Schaeffer
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Killian
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Desplan
authors.forename: E A
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Wimmer
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D030801:Animals, Genetically Modified; D019521:Body Patterning / Q000235:genetics; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D029721:Drosophila Proteins; D004331:Drosophila melanogaster / Q000196:embryology* / Q000201:enzymology / Q000235:genetics; D019143:Evolution, Molecular; D005260:Female; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; D006257:Head / Q000196:embryology*; D018398:Homeodomain Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D017403:In Situ Hybridization; D019476:Insect Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D009154:Mutation; D010641:Phenotype; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D020794:Receptor Protein-Tyrosine Kinases / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D015534:Trans-Activators / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D019076:Transgenes / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D029721:Drosophila Proteins; C087725:Hkb protein, Drosophila; D018398:Homeodomain Proteins; D019476:Insect Proteins; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D015534:Trans-Activators; C056478:bcd protein, Drosophila; D020794:Receptor Protein-Tyrosine Kinases; C080148:tor protein, Drosophila