title: Drosophila type XV/XVIII collagen, Mp, is involved in Wingless distribution.
abstract: Multiplexin (Mp) is the Drosophila orthologue of vertebrate collagens XV and XVIII. Like them, Mp is widely distributed in the basement membranes of the developing embryos, including those of neuroblasts in the central and peripheral nervous systems, visceral muscles of the gut, and contractile cardioblasts. Here we report the identification of mutant larvae bearing piggyBac transposon insertions that exhibit decrease Mp production associated with abdominal cuticular and wing margin defects, malformation of sensory organs and impaired sensitivity to physical stimuli. Additional findings include the abnormal ultrastructure of fatbody associated with abnormal collagen IV deposition, and reduced Wingless deposition. Collectively, these findings are consistent with the notion that Mp is required for the proper formation and/or maintenance of basement membrane, and that Mp may be involved in establishing the Wingless signaling gradients in the Drosophila embryo.
authors.affiliation: Department of Human Morphology, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Japan. momo@cc.okayama-u.ac.jp
authors.forename: Ryusuke
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Momota
authors.forename: Ichiro
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Naito
authors.forename: Yoshifumi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Ninomiya
authors.forename: Aiji
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ohtsuka
mesh_terms: D020816:Amino Acid Motifs; D000818:Animals; D001522:Behavior, Animal; D011508:Chondroitin Sulfate Proteoglycans / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D003094:Collagen / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D004064:Digestive System / Q000378:metabolism; D029721:Drosophila Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D004331:Drosophila melanogaster / Q000166:cytology / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D040461:Gene Components; D007814:Larva / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D050356:Lipid Metabolism / Q000235:genetics; D009928:Organ Specificity; D020033:Protein Isoforms; D017434:Protein Structure, Tertiary; D011984:Sensory Receptor Cells / Q000166:cytology; D017384:Sequence Deletion; D017386:Sequence Homology, Amino Acid; D014110:Touch; D051155:Wnt1 Protein / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D011508:Chondroitin Sulfate Proteoglycans; D029721:Drosophila Proteins; C567943:Mp protein, Drosophila; D020033:Protein Isoforms; D051155:Wnt1 Protein; C074622:wg protein, Drosophila; D003094:Collagen