dumpy interacts with a large number of genes in the developing wing of Drosophila melanogaster

The complex Drosophila dumpy gene encodes a gigantic protein located in the apical extracellular matrix of epithelial cells. It has been shown to interact with several proteins notably during embryonic tracheal development. Here we examine Dumpy's interactions in vivo with mutations in 20 genes previously recovered in a screen for recessive lethals that generate blisters when somatic clones are produced by mitotic crossing over during wing development. Primarily using double mutants, we looked for both dominant effects of the wing blister mutants and the effects of blister mutant clones on dumpy expression. Sixteen of the mutants either suppressed or enhanced dumpy mutant phenotypes indicating the large Dumpy protein is a very important component of the epithelial extracellular matrix in the wing. Dumpy also interacts strongly with held out wings, which is involved in RNA localization and possibly alternative splicing.