Spatial regulation of developmental signaling by a serpin.
An extracellular serine protease cascade generates the ligand that activates the Toll signaling pathway to establish dorsoventral polarity in the Drosophila embryo. We show here that this cascade is regulated by a serpin-type serine protease inhibitor, which plays an essential role in confining Toll signaling to the ventral side of the embryo. This role is strikingly analogous to the function of the mammalian serpin antithrombin in localizing the blood-clotting cascade, suggesting that serpin inhibition of protease activity may be a general mechanism for achieving spatial control in diverse biological processes.
Hashimoto
Carl
C
Department of Cell Biology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06520, USA. carl.hashimoto@yale.edu
Kim
Dong Ryoung
DR
Weiss
Linnea A
LA
Miller
Jingjing W
JW
Morisato
Donald
D
D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D019521:Body Patterning / Q000235:genetics*; D004330:Drosophila / Q000166:cytology / Q000196:embryology* / Q000235:genetics; D029721:Drosophila Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism*; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D015843:Serpins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism*; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000502:physiology*; D051193:Toll-Like Receptors
D029721:Drosophila Proteins; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface; D015843:Serpins; C468118:Spn27A protein, Drosophila; C068721:Tl protein, Drosophila; D051193:Toll-Like Receptors