Drosophila Pax-6/eyeless is essential for normal adult brain structure and function.
A role for the Pax-6 homologue eyeless in adult Drosophila brain development and function is described. eyeless expression is detected in neurons, but not glial cells, of the mushroom bodies, the medullar cortex, the lateral horn, and the pars intercerebralis. Furthermore, severe defects in adult brain structures essential for vision, olfaction, and for the coordination of locomotion are provoked by two newly isolated mutations of Pax-6/eyeless that result in truncated proteins. Consistent with the morphological lesions, we observe defective walking behavior for these eyeless mutants. The implications of these data for understanding postembryonic brain development and function in Drosophila are discussed.
Callaerts
P
P
Department of Biology and Biochemistry, University of Houston, Houston, Texas 77204-5513, USA. callaerts@uh.edu
Leng
S
S
Clements
J
J
Benassayag
C
C
Cribbs
D
D
Kang
Y Y
YY
Walldorf
U
U
Fischbach
K F
KF
Strauss
R
R
D000367:Age Factors; D000483:Alleles; D000818:Animals; D001921:Brain / Q000166:cytology / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000378:metabolism; D004252:DNA Mutational Analysis / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D004330:Drosophila / Q000166:cytology / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000378:metabolism; D029721:Drosophila Proteins; D005136:Eye Proteins; D020233:Gait Disorders, Neurologic / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D005816:Genetic Complementation Test; D018398:Homeodomain Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D023421:Models, Animal; D009154:Mutation / Q000502:physiology; D009457:Neuroglia / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism; D009474:Neurons / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism; D000857:Olfaction Disorders / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D009899:Optic Lobe, Nonmammalian / Q000166:cytology / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism; D000071841:PAX6 Transcription Factor; D051761:Paired Box Transcription Factors; D012097:Repressor Proteins; D014786:Vision Disorders / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology
D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D029721:Drosophila Proteins; D005136:Eye Proteins; D018398:Homeodomain Proteins; D000071841:PAX6 Transcription Factor; D051761:Paired Box Transcription Factors; D012097:Repressor Proteins; C113278:ey protein, Drosophila