title: A screen for genes regulating the wingless gradient in Drosophila embryos.
abstract: During the development of the Drosophila embryonic epidermis, the secreted Wingless protein initially spreads symmetrically from its source. At later stages, Wingless becomes asymmetrically distributed in a Hedgehog-dependent manner, to control the patterning of the embryonic epidermis. When Wingless is misexpressed in engrailed cells in hedgehog heterozygous mutant embryos, larvae show a dominant phenotype consisting of patches of naked cuticle in denticle belts. This dose-sensitive phenotype is a direct consequence of a change in Wg protein distribution. We used this phenotype to carry out a screen for identifying genes regulating Wingless distribution or transport in the embryonic epidermis. Using a third chromosome deficiency collection, we found several genomic regions that showed a dominant interaction. After using a secondary screen to test for mutants and smaller deficiencies, we identified three interacting genes: dally, notum, and brahma. We confirmed that dally, as well as its homolog dally-like, and notum affect Wingless distribution in the embryonic epidermis, directly or indirectly. Thus, our assay can be used effectively to screen for genes regulating Wingless distribution or transport.
authors.affiliation: Department of Genetics, University of Cambridge, UK.
authors.forename: Sabrina C
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Desbordes
authors.forename: Dhianjali
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Chandraratna
authors.forename: Bénédicte
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Sanson
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001692:Biological Transport; D002874:Chromosome Mapping; D003433:Crosses, Genetic; D029721:Drosophila Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D004331:Drosophila melanogaster / Q000196:embryology* / Q000235:genetics; D004817:Epidermis / Q000196:embryology / Q000378:metabolism; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; D020868:Gene Silencing; D005799:Genes, Dominant; D017344:Genes, Insect; D005821:Genetic Techniques; D006579:Heterozygote; D017403:In Situ Hybridization; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins / Q000235:genetics; D008856:Microscopy, Fluorescence; D008954:Models, Biological; D008957:Models, Genetic; D009154:Mutation; D010641:Phenotype; D011509:Proteoglycans / Q000235:genetics; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D034622:RNA Interference; D019076:Transgenes; D051155:Wnt1 Protein
chemical_list: D029721:Drosophila Proteins; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins; C456459:Notum protein, Drosophila; D011509:Proteoglycans; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins; D051155:Wnt1 Protein; C098128:dally protein, Drosophila; C420997:dlp protein, Drosophila; C074622:wg protein, Drosophila