scholarly journals Induction of a secondary body axis in Xenopus by antibodies to beta-catenin.

1993 ◽  
Vol 123 (2) ◽  
pp. 477-484 ◽  
Author(s):  
P D McCrea ◽  
W M Brieher ◽  
B M Gumbiner
Keyword(s):  
Cell Adhesion ◽  
The Body ◽  
Body Axis ◽  
Beta Catenin ◽  
Gene Products ◽  
Embryonic Patterning ◽  
Xenopus Embryos ◽  
Segment Polarity ◽  
Segment Polarity Gene ◽  
Polarity Gene

We have obtained evidence that a known intracellular component of the cadherin cell-cell adhesion machinery, beta-catenin, contributes to the development of the body axis in the frog Xenopus laevis. Vertebrate beta-catenin is homologous to the Drosophila segment polarity gene product armadillo, and to vertebrate plakoglobin (McCrea, P. D., C. W. Turck, and B. Gumbiner. 1991. Science (Wash. DC). 254: 1359-1361.). Beta-Catenin was found present in all Xenopus embryonic stages examined, and associated with C-cadherin, the major cadherin present in early Xenopus embryos. To test beta-catenin's function, affinity purified Fab fragments were injected into ventral blastomeres of developing four-cell Xenopus embryos. A dramatic phenotype, the duplication of the dorsoanterior embryonic axis, was observed. Furthermore, Fab injections were capable of rescuing dorsal features in UV-ventralized embryos. Similar phenotypes have been observed in misexpression studies of the Wnt and other gene products, suggesting that beta-catenin participates in a signaling pathway which specifies embryonic patterning.

A role for the Drosophila segment polarity gene armadillo in cell adhesion and cytoskeletal integrity during oogenesis

Development ◽  
1993 ◽  
Vol 118 (4) ◽  
pp. 1191-1207 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Peifer ◽  
S. Orsulic ◽  
D. Sweeton ◽  
E. Wieschaus
Keyword(s):  
Cell Adhesion ◽  
Germ Line ◽  
Adherens Junctions ◽  
Beta Catenin ◽  
Cell Adhesive ◽  
Segment Polarity ◽  
Drosophila Ovary ◽  
Segment Polarity Gene ◽  
Polarity Gene ◽  
Cell Cell

The epithelial sheet is a structural unit common to many tissues. Its organization appears to depend on the function of the multi-protein complexes that form adherens junctions. Elegant cell biological experiments have provided support for hypotheses explaining the function of adherens junctions and of their components. These systems, however, lack the ability to test function within an entire organism during development. The realization that the product of the Drosophila segment polarity gene armadillo is related to the vertebrate adhesive junction components plakoglobin and beta-catenin led to the suggestion that armadillo might provide a genetic handle to study adhesive junction structure and function. An examination of the potential function of Armadillo in cell-cell adhesive junctions was initiated using the Drosophila ovary as the model system. We examined the distribution of Armadillo in the Drosophila ovary and demonstrated that this localization often parallels the location of cell-cell adhesive junctions. The consequences of removing armadillo function from the germ-line cells of the ovary were also examined. Germ-line armadillo mutations appear to disrupt processes requiring cell adhesion and integrity of the actin cytoskeleton, consistent with a role for Armadillo in cell-cell adhesive junctions. We have also used armadillo mutations to examine the effects on ovarian development of altering the stereotyped cell arrangements of the ovary. The implications of these results for the role of adhesive junctions during development are discussed.

scholarly journals The vertebrate adhesive junction proteins beta-catenin and plakoglobin and the Drosophila segment polarity gene armadillo form a multigene family with similar properties.

1992 ◽  
Vol 118 (3) ◽  
pp. 681-691 ◽  
Author(s):  
M Peifer ◽  
P D McCrea ◽  
K J Green ◽  
E Wieschaus ◽  
B M Gumbiner
Keyword(s):  
Sequence Similarity ◽  
Intracellular Localization ◽  
Amino Acid Sequence Similarity ◽  
Beta Catenin ◽  
Cell Adhesive ◽  
Segment Polarity ◽  
Segment Polarity Gene ◽  
Polarity Gene ◽  
E Cadherin ◽  
Cell Cell

Three proteins identified by quite different criteria in three different systems, the Drosophila segment polarity gene armadillo, the human desmosomal protein plakoglobin, and the Xenopus E-cadherin-associated protein beta-catenin, share amino acid sequence similarity. These findings raise questions about the relationship among the three molecules and their roles in different cell-cell adhesive junctions. We have found that antibodies against the Drosophila segment polarity gene armadillo cross react with a conserved vertebrate protein. This protein is membrane associated, probably via its interaction with a cadherin-like molecule. This cross-reacting protein is the cadherin-associated protein beta-catenin. Using anti-armadillo and antiplakoglobin antibodies, it was shown that beta-catenin and plakoglobin are distinct molecules, which can coexist in the same cell type. Plakoglobin interacts with the desmosomal glycoprotein desmoglein I, and weakly with E-cadherin. Although beta-catenin interacts tightly with E-cadherin, it does not seem to be associated with either desmoglein I or with isolated desmosomes. Anti-armadillo antibodies have been further used to determine the intracellular localization of beta-catenin, and to examine its tissue distribution. The implications of these results for the structure and function of different cell-cell adhesive junctions are discussed.

The porcupine gene is required for wingless autoregulation in Drosophila

Development ◽  
1995 ◽  
Vol 121 (12) ◽  
pp. 4037-4044 ◽  
Author(s):  
A.S. Manoukian ◽  
K.B. Yoffe ◽  
E.L. Wilder ◽  
N. Perrimon
Keyword(s):  
Feedback Loop ◽  
Gene Products ◽  
Paracrine Signaling ◽  
Cell Fates ◽  
Positive Feedback Loop ◽  
Segment Polarity ◽  
Feedback Pathway ◽  
Segment Polarity Gene ◽  
Polarity Gene

The Drosophila segment polarity gene wingless (wg) is required in the regulation of engrailed (en) expression and the determination of cell fates in neighboring cells. This paracrine wg activity also regulates transcription of wg itself, through a positive feedback loop including en activity. In addition, wg has a second, more direct autoregulatory requirement that is distinct from the en-dependent feedback loop. Four gene products, encoded by armadillo (arm), dishevelled (dsh), porcupine (porc) and zeste-white 3 (zw3), have been previously implicated as components of wg paracrine signaling. Here we have used three different assays to assess the requirements of these genes in the more direct wg autoregulatory pathway. While the activities of dsh, zw3 and arm appear to be specific to the paracrine feedback pathway, the more direct autoregulatory pathway requires porc.

Role of segment polarity genes in the definition and maintenance of cell states in the Drosophila embryo

Development ◽  
1988 ◽  
Vol 103 (1) ◽  
pp. 157-170 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. Martinez Arias ◽  
N.E. Baker ◽  
P.W. Ingham
Keyword(s):  
Positional Information ◽  
Drosophila Embryo ◽  
Gene Products ◽  
Segment Polarity Genes ◽  
Restricted Domains ◽  
Segment Polarity ◽  
Mutant Phenotypes ◽  
Segment Polarity Gene ◽  
Polarity Gene

Segment polarity genes are expressed and required in restricted domains within each metameric unit of the Drosophila embryo. We have used the expression of two segment polarity genes engrailed (en) and wingless (wg) to monitor the effects of segment polarity mutants on the basic metameric pattern. Absence of patched (ptc) or naked (nkd) functions triggers a novel sequence of en and wg patterns. In addition, although wg and en are not expressed on the same cells absence of either one has effects on the expression of the other. These observations, together with an analysis of mutant phenotypes during development, lead us to suggest that positional information is encoded in cell states defined and maintained by the activity of segment polarity gene products.

scholarly journals Binding to cadherins antagonizes the signaling activity of beta-catenin during axis formation in Xenopus.

1996 ◽  
Vol 132 (6) ◽  
pp. 1105-1114 ◽  
Author(s):  
F Fagotto ◽  
N Funayama ◽  
U Gluck ◽  
B M Gumbiner
Keyword(s):  
Cell Adhesion ◽  
Deletion Mutants ◽  
Axis Formation ◽  
Beta Catenin ◽  
Embryonic Patterning ◽  
Signaling Function ◽  
Segment Polarity ◽  
Signaling Activity

beta-Catenin, a cytoplasmic protein known for its association with cadherin cell adhesion molecules, is also part of a signaling cascade involved in embryonic patterning processes such as the determination of the dorsoventral axis in Xenopus and determination of segment polarity in Drosophila. Previous studies suggest that increased cytoplasmic levels of beta-catenin correlate with signaling, raising questions about the need for in- teraction with cadherins in this process. We have tested the role of the beta-catenin-cadherin interaction in axis formation. Using beta-catenin deletion mutants, we demonstrate that significant binding to cadherins can be eliminated without affecting the signaling activity. Also, depletion of the soluble, cytosolic pool of beta-catenin by binding to overexpressed C-cadherin completely inhibited beta-catenin-inducing activity. We conclude that binding to cadherins is not required for beta-catenin signaling, and therefore the signaling function of beta-catenin is independent of its role in cell adhesion. Moreover, because beta-catenin signaling is antagonized by binding to cadherins, we suggest that cadherins can act as regulators of the intracellular beta-catenin signaling pathway.

Positional signaling by hedgehog in Drosophila imaginal disc development

Development ◽  
1995 ◽  
Vol 121 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-10 ◽  
Author(s):  
A.L. Felsenfeld ◽  
J.A. Kennison
Keyword(s):  
Hedgehog Signaling ◽  
Imaginal Disc ◽  
Ectopic Expression ◽  
Posterior Compartment ◽  
Anterior Compartment ◽  
Segment Polarity ◽  
Wing Structures ◽  
Wing Discs ◽  
Segment Polarity Gene ◽  
Polarity Gene

We describe a dominant gain-of-function allele of the segment polarity gene hedgehog. This mutation causes ectopic expression of hedgehog mRNA in the anterior compartment of wing discs, leading to overgrowth of tissue in the anterior of the wing and partial duplication of distal wing structures. The posterior compartment of the wing is unaffected. Other imaginal derivatives are affected, resulting in duplications of legs and antennae and malformations of eyes. In mutant imaginal wing discs, expression of the decapentaplegic gene, which is implicated in the hedgehog signaling pathway, is also perturbed. The results suggest that hedgehog protein acts in the wing as a signal to instruct neighboring cells to adopt fates appropriate to the region of the wing just anterior to the compartmental boundary.

rasp, a putative transmembrane acyltransferase, is required for Hedgehog signaling

Development ◽  
2002 ◽  
Vol 129 (4) ◽  
pp. 843-851 ◽  
Author(s):  
Craig A. Micchelli ◽  
Inge The ◽  
Erica Selva ◽  
Vladic Mogila ◽  
Norbert Perrimon
Keyword(s):  
Hedgehog Signaling ◽  
Transmembrane Protein ◽  
Post Translational Modification ◽  
Protein Levels ◽  
Lethal Mutations ◽  
Segment Polarity ◽  
Invertebrate Development ◽  
Membrane Bound ◽  
Segment Polarity Gene ◽  
Polarity Gene

Members of the Hedgehog (Hh) family encode secreted molecules that act as potent organizers during vertebrate and invertebrate development. Post-translational modification regulates both the range and efficacy of Hh protein. One such modification is the acylation of the N-terminal cysteine of Hh. In a screen for zygotic lethal mutations associated with maternal effects, we have identified rasp, a novel Drosophila segment polarity gene. Analysis of the rasp mutant phenotype, in both the embryo and wing imaginal disc demonstrates that rasp does not disrupt Wnt/Wingless signaling but is specifically required for Hh signaling. The requirement of rasp is restricted only to those cells that produce Hh; hh transcription, protein levels and distribution are not affected by the loss of rasp. Molecular analysis reveals that rasp encodes a multipass transmembrane protein that has homology to a family of membrane bound O-acyl transferases. Our results suggest that Rasp-dependent acylation is necessary to generate a fully active Hh protein.

Transcription of the segment-polarity gene wingless in the imaginal discs of Drosophila, and the phenotype of a pupal-lethal wg mutation

Development ◽  
1988 ◽  
Vol 102 (3) ◽  
pp. 489-497 ◽  
Author(s):  
N.E. Baker
Keyword(s):  
In Situ Hybridization ◽  
Imaginal Discs ◽  
Apical Cytoplasm ◽  
Segment Polarity ◽  
Disc Cells ◽  
Segment Polarity Gene ◽  
Drosophila Embryos ◽  
Polarity Gene

Wingless (wg) is a segment-polarity gene in Drosophila which is related to the murine proto-oncogene int1. In Drosophila embryos, wg transcription defines part of each parasegment. In situ hybridization shows that wg is also expressed in the imaginal discs which give rise to the adult during metamorphosis. Transcripts are localized in the apical cytoplasm of disc cells, and accumulate in different patterns in dorsal and ventral discs. The wgCX3 mutation produces morphological defect in the adult structures derived from these imaginal discs. The results show that wg is involved in the development of the adult, as well as the embryo, but that the imaginal discs do not express this segment-polarity gene in an identical pattern to the embryonic segments.

The segment polarity gene armadillo interacts with the wingless signaling pathway in both embryonic and adult pattern formation

Development ◽  
1991 ◽  
Vol 111 (4) ◽  
pp. 1029-1043 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Peifer ◽  
C. Rauskolb ◽  
M. Williams ◽  
B. Riggleman ◽  
E. Wieschaus
Keyword(s):  
Pattern Formation ◽  
Imaginal Discs ◽  
Protein Accumulation ◽  
Segment Polarity Genes ◽  
Adult Pattern ◽  
Segment Polarity ◽  
Lethal Allele ◽  
Segment Polarity Gene ◽  
Polarity Gene

The segment polarity genes of Drosophila were initially defined as genes required for pattern formation within each embryonic segment. Some of these genes also function to establish the pattern of the adult cuticle. We have examined the role of the armadillo (arm) gene in this latter process. We confirmed and extended earlier findings that arm and the segment polarity gene wingless are very similar in their effects on embryonic development. We next discuss the role of arm in pattern formation in the imaginal discs, as determined by using a pupal lethal allele, by analyzing clones of arm mutant tissue in imaginal discs, and by using a transposon carrying arm to produce adults with a reduced level of arm. Together, these experiments established that arm is required for the development of all imaginal discs. The requirement for arm varies along the dorsal-ventral and proximal-distal axes. Cells that require the highest levels of arm are those that express the wingless gene. Further, animals with reduced arm levels have phenotypes that resemble those of weak alleles of wingless. We present a description of the patterns of arm protein accumulation in imaginal discs. Finally, we discuss the implications of these results for the role of arm and wingless in pattern formation.

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