Mosaic analysis reveals a cell-autonomous, neuronal requirement for Commissureless in the Drosophila CNS.
Commissureless (Comm) is a key regulator of axon guidance at the midline of the Drosophila CNS. Here we report results from mosaic analysis experiments that demonstrate a cell-autonomous, neuronal requirement for Comm. Using the MARCM system to positively label clonal patches, we find that neurons which are not deficient for Comm function make commissural projections 85% of the time. Clones of neurons that are homozygous mutant for comm make commissural projections at a statistically significant reduced frequency: 70% for comm(1), a hypomorphic mutation, and 58% for comm(5), a near null mutation. These data suggest that commissural axon guidance is dependent upon regulated expression of Comm in neurons.
McGovern
Vicki L
VL
Center for Molecular Neurobiology and Department of Molecular Genetics, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA.
Seeger
Mark A
MA
D000483:Alleles; D000818:Animals; D001369:Axons / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000502:physiology; D002490:Central Nervous System / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D004254:DNA Nucleotidyltransferases; D004330:Drosophila / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D029721:Drosophila Proteins; D015870:Gene Expression; D006358:Hot Temperature; D007814:Larva / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*
D029721:Drosophila Proteins; D008565:Membrane Proteins; C110665:comm protein, Drosophila; D004254:DNA Nucleotidyltransferases; C045119:FLP recombinase