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u-shaped encodes a zinc finger protein that regulates the proneural genes achaete and scute during the formation of bristles in Drosophila

1997; Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press; Volume: 11; Issue: 22 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1101/gad.11.22.3083

1549-5477

Yolande Cubadda, Pascal Heitzler, Robert P. Ray, Marc Bourouis, Philippe Ramain, William M Gelbart, Patricia Simpson, Marc Haenlin,

Neurobiology and Insect Physiology Research

The pattern of the large sensory bristles on the notum of Drosophila arises as a consequence of the expression of the achaete and scute genes. The gene u-shaped encodes a novel zinc finger that acts as a transregulator of achaete and scute in the dorsal region of the notum. Viable hypomorphic u-shaped mutants display additional dorsocentral and scutellar bristles that result from overexpression of achaete and scute. In contrast, overexpression of u-shaped causes a loss of achaete–scute expression and consequently a loss of dorsal bristles. The effects on the dorsocentral bristles appear to be mediated through the enhancer sequences that regulate achaete and scute at this site. The effects of u-shaped mutants are similar to those of a class of dominant alleles of the gene pannier with which they display allele-specific interactions, suggesting that the products of both genes cooperate in the regulation of achaete and scute. A study of the sites at which the dorsocentral bristles arise in mosaic u-shaped nota, suggests that the levels of the u-shaped protein are crucial for the precise positioning of the precursors of these bristles.