Maternal co-ordinate gene regulation and axis polarity in the scuttle fly Megaselia abdita

PLoS Genetics
Karl R WottonJohannes Jaeger

Abstract

Axis specification and segment determination in dipteran insects are an excellent model system for comparative analyses of gene network evolution. Antero-posterior polarity of the embryo is established through systems of maternal morphogen gradients. In Drosophila melanogaster, the anterior system acts through opposing gradients of Bicoid (Bcd) and Caudal (Cad), while the posterior system involves Nanos (Nos) and Hunchback (Hb) protein. These systems act redundantly. Both Bcd and Hb need to be eliminated to cause a complete loss of polarity resulting in mirror-duplicated abdomens, so-called bicaudal phenotypes. In contrast, knock-down of bcd alone is sufficient to induce double abdomens in non-drosophilid cyclorrhaphan dipterans such as the hoverfly Episyrphus balteatus or the scuttle fly Megaselia abdita. We investigate conserved and divergent aspects of axis specification in the cyclorrhaphan lineage through a detailed study of the establishment and regulatory effect of maternal gradients in M. abdita. Our results show that the function of the anterior maternal system is highly conserved in this species, despite the loss of maternal cad expression. In contrast, hb does not activate gap genes in this species. The absence of th...Continue Reading

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Citations

Jan 23, 2016·Molecular Biology and Evolution·Anton CrombachJohannes Jaeger
Jul 12, 2016·Current Opinion in Genetics & Development·Urs Schmidt-Ott, Jeremy A Lynch
Nov 22, 2017·EvoDevo·Karl R WottonEva Jiménez-Guri

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