A segmentation gene in tribolium produces a polycistronic mRNA that codes for multiple conserved peptides.
Segmentation genes in insects are required for generating the subdivisions of the early embryo. We describe here a new member of the gap family of segmentation genes in the flour beetle Tribolium, mille-pattes (mlpt). mlpt knockdown leads to transformation of the abdominal segments into thoracic segments, providing embryos with up to ten pairs of legs. We show that there are crossregulatory interactions between mlpt and the known gap genes in Tribolium, suggesting that mlpt is itself a gap gene. The mlpt gene reveals an unusual structure, as it encodes a polycistronic mRNA that codes for four peptides. mlpt appears to be the prototype of this previously unknown gene structure in eukaryotes, as we find homologous genes with the same polycistronic arrangement in other insect genomes as well.
Savard
Joël
J
Department of Genetics, University of Cologne, Zülpicherstrasse 47, 50674 Cologne, Germany.
Marques-Souza
Henrique
H
Aranda
Manuel
M
Tautz
Diethard
D
D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence / Q000235:genetics; D019521:Body Patterning / Q000235:genetics*; D029721:Drosophila Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D004625:Embryo, Nonmammalian / Q000166:cytology / Q000196:embryology* / Q000378:metabolism; D005121:Extremities / Q000196:embryology; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental / Q000235:genetics*; D019476:Insect Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D017880:Limb Deformities, Congenital / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010455:Peptides / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics*; D017386:Sequence Homology, Amino Acid; D014231:Tribolium / Q000166:cytology / Q000196:embryology / Q000235:genetics*; D020703:ras GTPase-Activating Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism
D029721:Drosophila Proteins; D019476:Insect Proteins; D010455:Peptides; D012333:RNA, Messenger; C491146:RasGAP1 protein, Drosophila; D020703:ras GTPase-Activating Proteins