Leg patterning driven by proximal-distal interactions and EGFR signaling.
wingless and decapentaplegic signaling establishes the proximal-distal axis of Drosophila legs by activating the expression of genes such as Distalless and dachshund in broad proximal-distal domains during early leg development. However, here we show that wingless and decapentaplegic are not required throughout all of proximal-distal development. The tarsus, which has been proposed to be an ancestral structure, is instead defined by the activity of Distalless, dachshund, and a distal gradient of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR)-Ras signaling. Our results uncover a mechanism for appendage patterning directed by genes expressed in proximal-distal domains and possibly conserved in other arthropods and vertebrates.
School of Biological Sciences, University of Sussex, Falmer, Brighton BN1 9QG, UK.
M I
MI
Galindo
S A
SA
Bishop
S
S
Greig
J P
JP
Couso
D000818:Animals; D019521:Body Patterning; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D004330:Drosophila / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000378:metabolism*; D029721:Drosophila Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D066246:ErbB Receptors / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D005121:Extremities / Q000254:growth & development; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D017344:Genes, Insect; D018398:Homeodomain Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D009154:Mutation; D020880:Neuregulins; D011494:Protein Kinases; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D018010:Receptors, Invertebrate Peptide / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D015398:Signal Transduction; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D051155:Wnt1 Protein; D018631:ras Proteins / Q000378:metabolism
C093752:Bric-a-brac protein 1, Drosophila; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D029721:Drosophila Proteins; D018398:Homeodomain Proteins; C112506:MAD protein, Drosophila; D020880:Neuregulins; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins; D018010:Receptors, Invertebrate Peptide; D014157:Transcription Factors; D051155:Wnt1 Protein; C117261:distal-less protein, insect; C064196:dpp protein, Drosophila; C450829:rn protein, Drosophila; C074622:wg protein, Drosophila; C102104:vn protein, Drosophila; D011494:Protein Kinases; C066532:Egfr protein, Drosophila; D066246:ErbB Receptors; D018631:ras Proteins