| PubMed Abstract |
The Drosophila embryonic peripheral nervous system (PNS) contains segment-specific spatial patterns of sensory organs which
derive from the ectoderm. Many studies have established that the homeotic genes of Drosophila control segment specific characteristics
of the epidermis, and more recently these genes have also been shown to control gut morphogenesis through their expression
in the visceral mesoderm (Tremml, G. and Bienz, M. (1989), EMBO J. 8, 2677-2685). We report here the roles of homeotic genes
in establishing the spatial patterns of sensory organs in the embryonic PNS. The PNS was examined in embryos homozygous for
mutations in the homeotic genes Sex combs reduced (Scr), Antennapedia (Antp), Ultrabithorax (Ubx), abdominal-A (abd-A) and
Abdominal-B (Abd-B) with antibodies that label specific subsets of sensory organs. Our results suggest that the homeotic genes
have specific roles in establishing the correct spatial patterns of sensory organs in their normal domains of expression.
In addition, we also report the effects of ectopic expression of the homeotic genes labial (lab), Deformed (Dfd), Scr, Antp
or Ubx on the normal development of sensory organs in the embryonic PNS. Interestingly, while previous studies have concluded
that ectopic expression of the homeotic genes Dfd, Scr and Antp has no effect on the segmental identity of the abdominal segments,
our results demonstrate that this is not true. We show that ectopic expression of these genes does result in the disruption
of the developing PNS in the abdomen. Our results are suggestive of a role for the homeotic gene products in regulating genes
which are necessary for generating sensory progenitor cells in the developing PNS.
|
Home
Associated Information