TGF-beta family factors in Drosophila morphogenesis

Many Drosophila genes have now been identified with substantial sequence similarity to vertebrate protooncogenes and growth factors. Some of these have been isolated directly by cross-hybridization with vertebrate probes and some have been recognized in the sequences of genes cloned because of their intiguing mutant phenotypes. An example of a gene isolated for its interesting development functions but with homology to a vertebrate growth factor is the Drosophila decapentaplegic gene (dpp). An example of a Drosophila gene isolated by virtue of its sequence conservation is the vgr/60A gene. Both dpp and vgr/60A are members of the transforming growth factor-beta family and are most similar to the human bone morphogenetic proteins. The regulation of the dpp gene by several different groups of pattern formation genes including the dorsal/ventral group, the terminal group, the segment polarity genes, and the homeotic genes indicates that many events in embryogenesis require the cell to cell communication mediated by the secreted dpp protein. The temporal and spatial pattern of vgr/60A expression differs from that of dpp indicating that it may be regulated by different pattern information genes. The experimental advantages of the Drosophila system should permit a better understanding of the importance of growth factor homologs in specific developmental events, aid in establishing the functional interactions between these regulatory molecules, and identify new genes that are important for the biological functions of growth factors. It is likely that some of the newly identified genes will have vertebrate homologs and the analysis of these may be helpful in studies on vertebrate development and tumor biology.