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The molecular genetics of early neurogenesis in Drosophila melanogaster
Author(s) -
Knust Elisabeth,
CamposOrtega José A.
Publication year - 1989
Publication title -
bioessays
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.175
H-Index - 184
eISSN - 1521-1878
pISSN - 0265-9247
DOI - 10.1002/bies.950110405
Subject(s) - drosophila melanogaster , biology , neurogenesis , enhancer , genetics , mutant , cell fate determination , notch signaling pathway , gene , phenotype , locus (genetics) , microbiology and biotechnology , caenorhabditis elegans , drosophilidae , transcription factor
The extent of neurogenesis in Drosophila is under the control of the so‐called neurogenic genes, named for their mutant phenotype of causing neural hyperplasia. Their wild‐type products appear to be responsible for a signal chain that decides the fate of ectodermal cells in the embryo. Various kinds of data, from cell transplantation experiments as well as from genetic and molecular analyses, suggest that the proteins encoded by the genes Notch and Delta may act at the membrane of the signal‐transmitting cells to provide a ligand to a still unknown receptor molecule; in contrast, the locus of Enhancer of split codes for several functions related to the transduction and further processing of the signal.