The sex determination gene doublesex regulates the A/P organizer to direct sex-specific patterns of growth in the Drosophila genital imaginal disc.
Each Drosophila genital imaginal disc contains primordia for both male and female genitalia and analia. The sexually dimorphic development of this disc is governed by the sex-specific expression of doublesex (dsx). We present data that substantially revises our understanding of how dsx controls growth and differentiation in the genital disc. The classical view of genital disc development is that in each sex, dsx autonomously "represses" the development of the inappropriate genital primordium while allowing the development of the appropriate primordium. Instead, we show that dsx regulates the A/P organizer to control growth of each genital primordium, and then directs each genital primordium to differentiate defined adult structures in both sexes.
Keisman
E L
EL
Department of Biological Sciences, Stanford University, California 94305, USA.
Christiansen
A E
AE
Baker
B S
BS
D000818:Animals; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000502:physiology*; D004330:Drosophila; D029721:Drosophila Proteins; D005260:Female; D005835:Genitalia / Q000196:embryology / Q000502:physiology; D019476:Insect Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000502:physiology*; D007814:Larva / Q000502:physiology; D008297:Male; D008954:Models, Biological; D008957:Models, Genetic; D012727:Sex Characteristics; D019849:Sex Determination Processes; D012733:Sex Differentiation; D012737:Sex Factors; D013997:Time Factors
D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; C070369:DSX protein, Drosophila; D029721:Drosophila Proteins; D019476:Insect Proteins