Open AccessDrosophila-Raf Acts to Elaborate Dorsoventral Pattern in the Ectoderm of Developing Embryos
Author(s) -
Kori Radke,
K.A. Johnson,
Ruiyun Guo,
Anne Davidson,
Linda Ambrosio
Publication year - 2001
Publication title -
genetics
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.792
H-Index - 246
eISSN - 1943-2631
pISSN - 0016-6731
DOI - 10.1093/genetics/159.3.1031
Subject(s) - ectoderm , biology , embryo , cell fate determination , embryonic stem cell , mutation , genetics , function (biology) , microbiology and biotechnology , embryogenesis , gene , transcription factor
In the early Drosophila embryo the activity of the EGF-receptor (Egfr) is required to instruct cells to adopt a ventral neuroectodermal fate. Using a gain-of-function mutation we showed that D-raf acts to transmit this and other late-acting embryonic Egfr signals. A novel role for D-raf was also identified in lateral cell development using partial loss-of-function D-raf mutations. Thus, we provide evidence that zygotic D-raf acts to specify cell fates in two distinct pathways that generate dorsoventral pattern within the ectoderm. These functional requirements for D-raf activity occur subsequent to its maternal role in organizing the anterioposterior axis. The consequences of eliminating key D-raf regulatory domains and specific serine residues in the transmission of Egfr and lateral epidermal signals were also addressed here.