The dachshund gene is required for the proper guidance and branching of mushroom body axons in Drosophila melanogaster.
The dachshund gene encodes a transcription factor required for the proper development of Drosophila eyes, legs, and mushroom bodies. The mushroom bodies of dachshund mutants exhibit a marked reduction in the size of the vertical lobes and disorganization of the horizontal lobes. In mosaic animals, mutant axons fail to contribute significantly to the mushroom body alpha lobe. Here we show that this defect is due to the misrouting of alphabeta axons to the region normally occupied by alpha'beta' axons. This defect is pronounced for clones generated in larval stages but not clones generated after pupariation, indicating that dachshund function is particularly important around the time of puparium formation. In addition, mushroom body axons exhibit excessive branching in dachshund mutant clones. Thus, dachshund is required in mushroom body neurons for proper axon guidance and branching.
Martini
Sharyl R
SR
Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas 77030, USA.
Davis
Ronald L
RL
D000818:Animals; D030801:Animals, Genetically Modified; D001369:Axons / Q000502:physiology*; D029721:Drosophila Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D004331:Drosophila melanogaster; D047108:Embryonic Development; D005455:Fluorescent Antibody Technique / Q000379:methods; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental / Q000235:genetics; D049452:Green Fluorescent Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D020662:Guanine Nucleotide Exchange Factors / Q000378:metabolism; D007814:Larva; D008954:Models, Biological; D024521:Mushroom Bodies / Q000166:cytology*; D009154:Mutation / Q000502:physiology; D009474:Neurons / Q000145:classification / Q000166:cytology*; D009479:Neuropeptides / Q000378:metabolism; D009687:Nuclear Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D010750:Phosphoproteins / Q000378:metabolism; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases / Q000378:metabolism; D029701:Saccharomyces cerevisiae Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000378:metabolism
C113867:CG17716 protein, Drosophila; D029721:Drosophila Proteins; C064255:GAL4 (1-147) protein, S cerevisiae; D020662:Guanine Nucleotide Exchange Factors; D009479:Neuropeptides; D009687:Nuclear Proteins; D010750:Phosphoproteins; D029701:Saccharomyces cerevisiae Proteins; D014157:Transcription Factors; C103968:dac protein, Drosophila; D049452:Green Fluorescent Proteins; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases; C490974:trio protein, Drosophila