An analysis of abdominal-B expression in the locust Schistocerca gregaria

We have cloned a homologue of the homeotic gene Abdominal-B from the locust Schistocerca gregaria and raised antibodies against the homeodomain and C-terminal flanking region of the encoded protein. This antibody stains the posterior abdomen of the developing Schistocerca embryo from 26% of development onwards, a stage when only the anterior of the abdomen is visibly segmented. By the time segmentation has reached the posterior of the abdomen, ABD-B protein is detectable only in the terminal segment (A11). Expression extends anteriorly as development proceeds to include the epidermis of all segments from A8p to A11, including the genital appendages of A9 and A10. The anal cerci, generally regarded as appendages of A11, remain unstained. This expression domain corresponds to the region within which the Abd-B r function of the Drosophila Abd-B gene is expressed. We detect no expression corresponding to the Abd-B m function in Drosophila.