title: Nemo phosphorylates Even-skipped and promotes Eve-mediated repression of odd-skipped in even parasegments during Drosophila embryogenesis.
abstract: Drosophila nemo (nmo) and other Nemo-like kinase family members (Nlks) are well-established key regulators of numerous conserved signaling pathways, such as Wg and BMP. nmo mutants display pleiotropic defects at different developmental stages, including the embryo. In this study we describe a detailed characterization of embryonic cuticle patterning defects associated with maternal loss of nmo. nmo mutant embryos consistently show segmentation defects, most frequently fusions of pairs of denticle belts in alternating segments. These phenotypes are reminiscent of those associated with defects in pair-rule patterning. Genetic interaction studies demonstrate that Nmo promotes Even-skipped (Eve) activity and is required to promote the expression of the Eve target, engrailed (en), in even numbered parasegments. We find that Nmo regulates a subset of Eve activities by stimulating Eve-mediated suppression of the odd-skipped (odd) repressor. Furthermore, we isolate Nmo in a protein complex with Eve and show that Nmo phosphorylates Eve in in vitro kinase assays. These studies reveal a novel role for the Nmo kinase in embryonic pattern formation through its regulation of the homeodomain-containing transcription factor Eve.
authors.affiliation: Dept. of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, BC, Canada V5A 1S6.
authors.forename: Lorena R
authors.initials: LR
authors.lastname: Braid
authors.forename: Wendy
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Andrea C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Uetrecht
authors.forename: Sharan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Swarup
authors.forename: Gina
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Papaianni
authors.forename: Amanda
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Heiler
authors.forename: Esther M
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Verheyen
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004330:Drosophila / Q000196:embryology* / Q000378:metabolism; D029721:Drosophila Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D004625:Embryo, Nonmammalian / Q000378:metabolism*; D047108:Embryonic Development / Q000235:genetics; D018398:Homeodomain Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D020928:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D010766:Phosphorylation; D012097:Repressor Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D029721:Drosophila Proteins; D018398:Homeodomain Proteins; D012097:Repressor Proteins; D014157:Transcription Factors; C052837:eve protein, Drosophila; D020928:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases; C110707:nmo protein, Drosophila