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Updated: Jul 19, 2025
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Three and Four-Dimensional Visualization and Analysis Approaches to Study Vertebrate Axial Elongation and Segmentation
Published on: February 28, 2021
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Maintaining symmetry during body axis elongation.
Celia M Smits1, Sayantan Dutta2, Vishank Jain-Sharma3
1Department of Molecular Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544, USA; The Lewis-Sigler Institute for Integrative Genomics, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544, USA.
Current Biology : CB
|August 10, 2023
Summary
The Ras/ERK signaling pathway, activated by Torso, is essential for maintaining bilateral symmetry during embryonic development in Drosophila. Disrupting this pathway leads to a corkscrew phenotype, impacting viability.
Area of Science:
- Developmental Biology
- Genetics
- Animal Physiology
Background:
- Bilateral symmetry is fundamental to animal development and function.
- While early embryonic patterning is understood, symmetry maintenance during later morphogenesis is unclear.
Purpose of the Study:
- Investigate the role of the terminal patterning system in preserving bilateral symmetry during Drosophila embryogenesis.
- Identify mechanisms ensuring symmetry during body axis elongation.
Main Methods:
- Utilized genetic approaches and RNA interference (RNAi) targeting Ras/ERK pathway components.
- Observed and analyzed embryonic phenotypes, specifically body axis elongation and tissue flow.
Main Results:
- The Torso/Trunk-mediated Ras/ERK signaling pathway is crucial for maintaining bilateral symmetry.
- Attenuation of Torso signaling results in a 'corkscrew' phenotype due to disrupted tissue flow.
- This phenotype is incompatible with embryonic viability.
Conclusions:
- The Drosophila terminal patterning system actively controls bilateral symmetry maintenance.
- Identified a novel role for Ras/ERK signaling in preserving body axis symmetry.
- Suggests potential for similar mechanisms in other bilaterian organisms.
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