title: Determinants of the Drosophila odorant receptor pattern.
abstract: In most olfactory systems studied to date, neurons that express the same odorant receptor (Or) gene are scattered across sensory epithelia, intermingled with neurons that express different Or genes. In Drosophila, olfactory sensilla that express the same Or gene are dispersed on the antenna and the maxillary palp. Here we show that Or identity is specified in a spatially stereotyped pattern by the cell-autonomous activity of the transcriptional regulators Engrailed and Dachshund. Olfactory sensilla then become highly motile and disperse beneath the epidermis. Thus, positional information and cell motility underlie the dispersed patterns of Drosophila Or gene expression.
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA.
authors.forename: Erin
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Song
authors.forename: Benjamin
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: de Bivort
authors.forename: Chuntao
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Dan
authors.forename: Sam
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kunes
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D030801:Animals, Genetically Modified; D002465:Cell Movement; D029721:Drosophila Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D004331:Drosophila melanogaster / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism*; D000078404:Epidermal Cells; D004817:Epidermis / Q000378:metabolism; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D018398:Homeodomain Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D009154:Mutation / Q000235:genetics; D009687:Nuclear Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D018034:Olfactory Receptor Neurons / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology*; D018035:Receptors, Odorant / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D058618:Sensilla / Q000502:physiology*; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D019076:Transgenes / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D029721:Drosophila Proteins; C063459:En protein, Drosophila; D018398:Homeodomain Proteins; D009687:Nuclear Proteins; D018035:Receptors, Odorant; D014157:Transcription Factors; C103968:dac protein, Drosophila