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Dynamic expression of Drosophila segmental cell surface-encoding genes and their pair-rule regulators
Patricia L Graham1, W Ray Anderson1, Elizabeth A Brandt1
1Entomology Department, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, United States.
Developmental Biology
|January 30, 2019
Summary
Drosophila pair-rule genes (PRGs) establish a cell surface code using segmentally expressed Leucine-rich repeat (LRR) genes. This code translates regulatory information to guide segment formation and maintain the fly's body plan.
Area of Science:
- Developmental Biology
- Genetics
- Molecular Biology
Background:
- Drosophila segmentation relies on pair-rule genes (PRGs) for establishing the segmental body plan.
- The precise mechanisms by which PRGs influence segment morphogenesis remain unclear.
- Cell surface Leucine-rich repeat (LRR) proteins are implicated in developmental processes.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the relationship between the PRG network and segmentally expressed LRR (sLRR) genes in Drosophila.
- To understand how sLRR gene expression is regulated by PRGs.
- To elucidate the role of sLRRs in segment morphogenesis.
Main Methods:
- Examined the expression patterns of Toll2, Toll6, Toll7, Toll8, and tartan (trn) genes in wild-type and PRG mutant Drosophila embryos.
- Analyzed the dynamic expression of sLRR genes and their overlap with PRG expression domains.
- Determined the regulatory interactions between PRGs and sLRR genes.
Main Results:
- Each sLRR-encoding gene exhibits dynamic, unique anterior-posterior expression registers.
- sLRR expression patterns are offset, creating dynamic overlapping expression zones.
- Each sLRR gene is uniquely regulated by a specific combination of PRGs.
Conclusions:
- The PRG network establishes a cell surface code by regulating unique combinations of sLRR expression.
- This sLRR code translates PRG regulatory information into signals for segment morphogenesis.
- PRGs play a crucial role in promoting segmentation by orchestrating the sLRR cell surface code.
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