DmFoxF, a novel Drosophila fork head factor expressed in visceral mesoderm

DmFoxF is a novel Drosophila fork head domain factor, which is expressed in the visceral mesoderm of the embryo. Our data suggest that DmFoxF is the fly orthologue of the vertebrates FOXF1 and FOXF2 transcription factors. DmFoxF shares homology with FOXF1 and FOXF2 in its fork head domain, and it is able to specifically bind DNA sequences recognized by these vertebrate fork head factors. In stage 10-11 embryos, the DmFoxF protein is detected into the nuclei of cells of the presumptive visceral mesoderm. It localizes at the segmental cell clusters of the mesoderm, which will eventually develop to surround the midgut endoderm. DmFoxF is also expressed in the proctodeal mesoderm, which will develop into the visceral mesoderm of the hindgut.