A directed mutagenesis screen in Drosophila melanogaster reveals new mutants that influence hedgehog signaling.
The Hedgehog signaling pathway has been recognized as essential for patterning processes in development of metazoan animal species. The signaling pathway is, however, not entirely understood. To start to address this problem, we set out to isolate new mutations that influence Hedgehog signaling. We performed a mutagenesis screen for mutations that dominantly suppress Hedgehog overexpression phenotypes in the Drosophila melanogaster wing. We isolated four mutations that influence Hedgehog signaling. These were analyzed in the amenable wing system using genetic and molecular techniques. One of these four mutations affects the stability of the Hedgehog expression domain boundary, also known as the organizer in the developing wing. Another mutation affects a possible Hedgehog autoregulation mechanism, which stabilizes the same boundary.
Haines
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N
MRC Functional Genetics Unit, Department of Human Anatomy and Genetics, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3QX, United Kingdom.
van den Heuvel
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M
D000818:Animals; D002874:Chromosome Mapping; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D029721:Drosophila Proteins; D004331:Drosophila melanogaster / Q000235:genetics*; D017344:Genes, Insect; D016153:Genes, Suppressor; D005816:Genetic Complementation Test; D053823:Hedgehog Proteins; D019476:Insect Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D009024:Morphogenesis / Q000235:genetics; D016296:Mutagenesis; D010641:Phenotype; D011506:Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000235:genetics*; D015534:Trans-Activators; D014157:Transcription Factors; D014921:Wings, Animal / Q000648:ultrastructure
D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D029721:Drosophila Proteins; D053823:Hedgehog Proteins; D019476:Insect Proteins; D011506:Proteins; D015534:Trans-Activators; D014157:Transcription Factors; C092937:ci protein, Drosophila; C064196:dpp protein, Drosophila; C077245:hh protein, Drosophila