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Published on: October 30, 2019
Windbeutel is required for function and correct subcellular localization of the Drosophila patterning protein Pipe
J Sen1, J S Goltz, M Konsolaki
1Department of Molecular Genetics, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY 10461, USA.
Development (Cambridge, England)
|November 15, 2000
Summary
Drosophila embryonic development relies on proper dorsal-ventral polarity. The windbeutel gene is crucial for directing pipe protein localization, ensuring correct pattern formation.
Area of Science:
- Developmental Biology
- Genetics
- Cell Biology
Background:
- Drosophila embryonic dorsal-ventral polarity is established by restricted pipe gene expression in the ovarian follicle.
- Pipe protein, a glycosaminoglycan-modifying enzyme homolog, activates a ventral proteolytic cascade essential for embryonic patterning.
- Uniform pipe expression leads to ventralized embryos, highlighting its critical role.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the role of the windbeutel gene in regulating pipe protein localization and its impact on embryonic polarity.
- To determine the dependency of pipe-induced ventralization on other dorsal group genes and the Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor pathway.
Main Methods:
- Expression analysis of pipe in Drosophila melanogaster.
- Subcellular localization studies of Pipe protein in cultured vertebrate cells and Drosophila follicle cells.
- Genetic analysis using mutants for dorsal group genes and Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor pathway components.
Main Results:
- Ventralization induced by uniform pipe expression depends on dorsal group genes but not the EGFR pathway.
- In cultured cells, Pipe localizes to the endoplasmic reticulum; coexpression with windbeutel directs it to the Golgi.
- Mutations in windbeutel alter Pipe's subcellular localization in Drosophila follicle cells.
Conclusions:
- Windbeutel protein is essential for the correct subcellular localization of Pipe protein.
- Proper Pipe localization, facilitated by Windbeutel, is critical for its pattern-forming activity in establishing embryonic dorsal-ventral polarity.
