Open AccessThe ETS-transcription factor Pointed is sufficient to regulate the posterior fate of the follicular epithelium
Author(s) -
Cody A. Stevens,
Nicole T. Revaitis,
Rumkan Caur,
Nir Yakoby
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
development
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.754
H-Index - 325
eISSN - 1477-9129
pISSN - 0950-1991
DOI - 10.1242/dev.189787
Subject(s) - biology , transcription factor , epithelium , ets transcription factor family , follicular phase , microbiology and biotechnology , genetics , gene
The Janus-kinase/Signal Transducers and Activators of Transcription (JAK/STAT) pathway regulates the anterior posterior axis of the Drosophila follicle cells. In the anterior, it activates the bone morphogenetic protein (BMP) signaling pathway through expression of the BMP ligand, decapentaplegic (dpp). In the posterior, JAK/STAT works with the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) pathway to express the T-box transcription factor midline (mid). While MID is necessary in establishing the posterior fate of the egg chamber, we show that it is not sufficient to determine a posterior fate. The ETS-transcription factor pointed (pnt) is expressed in an overlapping domain to mid in the follicle cells. This study shows that pnt is upstream of mid, and it is sufficient to induce a posterior fate in the anterior end, which is characterized by the induction of mid, the prevention of the stretched cells formation, and the abrogation of border cells migration. We demonstrate that the anterior BMP signaling is abolished by PNT through dpp repression. However, ectopic DPP cannot rescue this repression, suggesting additional targets of PNT participate in the posterior fate determination.