Sequence of the Tribolium castaneum Homeotic Complex: The Region Corresponding to the Drosophila melanogaster Antennapedia Complex

Genetics ◽  
2002 ◽  
Vol 160 (3) ◽  
pp. 1067-1074
Author(s):  
Susan J Brown ◽  
John P Fellers ◽  
Teresa D Shippy ◽  
Elizabeth A Richardson ◽  
Mark Maxwell ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Tribolium Castaneum ◽  
Hox Genes ◽  
Transcription Unit ◽  
Sex Combs Reduced ◽  
Sex Combs ◽  
Selector Genes ◽  
Homeotic Selector Genes ◽  
Encoding Genes ◽  
Single Cluster ◽  
Homeotic Selector

Abstract The homeotic selector genes of the red flour beetle, Tribolium castaneum, are located in a single cluster. We have sequenced the region containing the homeotic selector genes required for proper development of the head and anterior thorax, which is the counterpart of the ANTC in Drosophila. This 280-kb interval contains eight homeodomain-encoding genes, including single orthologs of the Drosophila genes labial, proboscipedia, Deformed, Sex combs reduced, fushi tarazu, and Antennapedia, as well as two orthologs of zerknüllt. These genes are all oriented in the same direction, as are the Hox genes of amphioxus, mice, and humans. Although each transcription unit is similar to its Drosophila counterpart in size, the Tribolium genes contain fewer introns (with the exception of the two zerknüllt genes), produce shorter mRNAs, and encode smaller proteins. Unlike the ANTC, this region of the Tribolium HOMC contains no additional genes.

scholarly journals Hox genes limit germ cell formation in the short germ insect Gryllus bimaculatus

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Austen A. Barnett ◽  
Taro Nakamura ◽  
Cassandra G. Extavour
Keyword(s):  
Hox Genes ◽  
Primordial Germ Cells ◽  
Cell Formation ◽  
Gryllus Bimaculatus ◽  
Sex Combs Reduced ◽  
Body Regions ◽  
Sex Combs ◽  
Hemimetabolous Insect ◽  
Encoding Genes ◽  
Germ Cell Formation

AbstractHox genes are conserved transcription factor-encoding genes that specify the identity of body regions in bilaterally symmetrical animals. In the cricket Gryllus bimaculatus, a member of the hemimetabolous insect group Orthoptera, the induction of a subset of mesodermal cells to form the primordial germ cells (PGCs) is restricted to the second through the fourth abdominal segments (A2-A4). In numerous insect species, the Hox genes Sex-combs reduced (Scr), Antennapedia (Antp), Ultrabithorax (Ubx) and abdominal-A (abd-A) jointly regulate the identities of middle and posterior body segments, suggesting that these genes may restrict PGC formation to specific abdominal segments in G. bimaculatus. Here we show that all of these Hox genes, either individually or in segment-specific combinations, restrict PGC formation. Our data provides evidence for a segmental Hox code used to regulate the placement of PGC formation, reminiscent of the segmental Hox codes used in other arthropod groups to establish other aspects of segmental identity. These data also provide, to our knowledge, the first evidence for this ancient group of genes in determining PGC placement within the context of axial patterning in any animal studied thus far.

scholarly journals Hox genes limit germ cell formation in the short germ insect Gryllus bimaculatus

2019 ◽  
Vol 116 (33) ◽  
pp. 16430-16435
Author(s):  
Austen A. Barnett ◽  
Taro Nakamura ◽  
Cassandra G. Extavour
Keyword(s):  
Hox Genes ◽  
Primordial Germ Cells ◽  
Cell Formation ◽  
Gryllus Bimaculatus ◽  
Sex Combs Reduced ◽  
Body Regions ◽  
Sex Combs ◽  
Hemimetabolous Insect ◽  
Encoding Genes

Hox genes are conserved transcription factor-encoding genes that specify the identity of body regions in bilaterally symmetrical animals. In the cricket Gryllus bimaculatus, a member of the hemimetabolous insect group Orthoptera, the induction of a subset of mesodermal cells to form the primordial germ cells (PGCs) is restricted to the second through the fourth abdominal segments (A2 to A4). In numerous insect species, the Hox genes Sex-combs reduced (Scr), Antennapedia (Antp), Ultrabithorax (Ubx), and abdominal-A (abd-A) jointly regulate the identities of middle and posterior body segments, suggesting that these genes may restrict PGC formation to specific abdominal segments in G. bimaculatus. Here we show that reducing transcript levels of some or all of these Hox genes results in supernumerary and/or ectopic PGCs, either individually or in segment-specific combinations, suggesting that the role of these Hox genes is to limit PGC development with respect to their number, segmental location, or both. These data provide evidence of a role for this ancient group of genes in PGC development.

The Tribolium homeotic gene Abdominal is homologous to abdominal-A of the Drosophila bithorax complex

Development ◽  
1993 ◽  
Vol 117 (1) ◽  
pp. 233-243 ◽  
Author(s):  
J.J. Stuart ◽  
S.J. Brown ◽  
R.W. Beeman ◽  
R.E. Denell
Keyword(s):  
Molecular Analysis ◽  
Tribolium Castaneum ◽  
Functional Significance ◽  
Homeotic Gene ◽  
Bithorax Complex ◽  
Developmental Genetic ◽  
Selector Genes ◽  
Homeotic Selector Genes ◽  
Homeotic Selector

The Abdominal gene is a member of the single homeotic complex of the beetle, Tribolium castaneum. An integrated developmental genetic and molecular analysis shows that Abdominal is homologous to the abdominal-A gene of the bithorax complex of Drosophila. abdominal-A mutant embryos display strong homeotic transformations of the anterior abdomen (parasegments 7–9) to PS6, whereas developmental commitments in the posterior abdomen depend primarily on Abdominal-B. In beetle embryos lacking Abdominal function, parasegments throughout the abdomen are transformed to PS6. This observation demonstrates the general functional significance of parasegmental expression among insects and shows that the control of determinative decisions in the posterior abdomen by homeotic selector genes has undergone considerable evolutionary modification.

E(z): a polycomb group gene or a trithorax group gene?

Development ◽  
1996 ◽  
Vol 122 (7) ◽  
pp. 2189-2197 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. LaJeunesse ◽  
A. Shearn
Keyword(s):  
Polycomb Group ◽  
Bithorax Complex ◽  
Trithorax Group ◽  
Polycomb Group Genes ◽  
Enhancer Of Zeste ◽  
Selector Genes ◽  
Homeotic Selector Genes ◽  
Polycomb Group Gene ◽  
Anterior Posterior ◽  
Homeotic Selector

The products of the Polycomb group of genes are cooperatively involved in repressing expression of homeotic selector genes outside of their appropriate anterior/posterior boundaries. Loss of maternal and/or zygotic function of Polycomb group genes results in the ectopic expression of both Antennapedia Complex and Bithorax Complex genes. The products of the trithorax group of genes are cooperatively involved in maintaining active expression of homeotic selector genes within their appropriate anterior/posterior boundaries. Loss of maternal and/or zygotic function of trithorax group genes results in reduced expression of both Antennapedia Complex and Bithorax Complex genes. Although Enhancer of zeste has been classified as a member of the Polycomb group, in this paper we show that Enhancer of zeste can also be classified as a member of the trithorax group. The requirement for Enhancer of zeste activity as either a trithorax group or Polycomb group gene depends on the homeotic selector gene locus as well as on spatial and temporal cues.

scholarly journals The Tribolium castaneum Ortholog of Sex combs reduced Controls Dorsal Ridge Development

Genetics ◽  
2006 ◽  
Vol 174 (1) ◽  
pp. 297-307 ◽  
Author(s):  
Teresa D. Shippy ◽  
Carmelle D. Rogers ◽  
Richard W. Beeman ◽  
Susan J. Brown ◽  
Robin E. Denell
Keyword(s):  
Tribolium Castaneum ◽  
Sex Combs Reduced ◽  
Sex Combs ◽  
Dorsal Ridge

Analysis of Drosophila proboscipedia mutant alleles

Genome ◽  
2004 ◽  
Vol 47 (3) ◽  
pp. 600-609 ◽  
Author(s):  
I Tayyab ◽  
H M Hallahan ◽  
A Percival-Smith
Keyword(s):  
Dna Sequence ◽  
Hox Genes ◽  
Genetic Interaction ◽  
Direct Interaction ◽  
Protein Product ◽  
Maxillary Palp ◽  
Phenotypic Analysis ◽  
Sex Combs Reduced ◽  
Important Region ◽  
Sex Combs

Proboscipedia (PB) is a HOX protein required for adult maxillary palp and proboscis formation. To identify domains of PB important for function, 21 pb point mutant alleles were sequenced. Twelve pb alleles had DNA sequence changes that encode an altered PB protein product. The DNA sequence changes of these 12 alleles fell into 2 categories: missense alleles that effect the PB homeodomain (HD), and nonsense or frameshift alleles that result in C-terminal truncations of the PB protein. The phenotypic analysis of the pb homeobox missense alleles suggests that the PB HD is required for maxillary palp and proboscis development and pb – Sex combs reduced (Scr) genetic interaction. The phenotypic analysis of the pb nonsense or frameshift alleles suggests that the C-terminus is an important region required for maxillary palp and proboscis development and pb–Scr genetic interaction. PB and SCR do not interact directly with one another in a co-immunoprecipitation assay and in a yeast two-hybrid analysis, which suggests the pb–Scr genetic interaction is not mediated by a direct interaction between PB and SCR.Key words: proboscipedia, Sex combs reduced, Hox genes, mutant analysis, Drosophila body plan, appendage development.

scholarly journals Hox genes mediate the escalation of sexually antagonistic traits in water striders

2019 ◽  
Vol 15 (2) ◽  
pp. 20180720 ◽  
Author(s):  
Antonin Jean Johan Crumière ◽  
Abderrahman Khila
Keyword(s):  
Sexual Conflict ◽  
Hox Genes ◽  
Complete Loss ◽  
Water Strider ◽  
Fitness Costs ◽  
Sex Combs Reduced ◽  
Hox Gene ◽  
Water Striders ◽  
Sex Combs ◽  
Sex Comb

Sexual conflict occurs when traits favoured in one sex impose fitness costs on the other sex. In the case of sexual conflict over mating rate, the sexes often undergo antagonistic coevolution and escalation of traits that enhance females' resistance to superfluous mating and traits that increase males' persistence. How this escalation in sexually antagonistic traits is established during ontogeny remains unclear. In the water strider Rhagovelia antilleana, male persistence traits consist of sex combs on the forelegs and multiple rows of spines and a thick femur in the rear legs. Female resistance traits consist of a prominent spike-like projection of the pronotum. RNAi knockdown against the Hox gene Sex Combs Reduced resulted in the reduction in both the sex comb in males and the pronotum projection in females. RNAi against the Hox gene Ultrabithorax resulted in the complete loss or reduction of all persistence traits in male rear legs. These results demonstrate that Hox genes can be involved in intra- and inter-locus sexual conflict and mediate escalation of sexually antagonistic traits.

scholarly journals Homeotic selector genes control the patterning of seven-up expressing cells in the Drosophila dorsal vessel

2005 ◽  
Vol 122 (9) ◽  
pp. 1023-1033 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kathryn M. Ryan ◽  
Deborah K. Hoshizaki ◽  
Richard M. Cripps
Keyword(s):  
Dorsal Vessel ◽  
Selector Genes ◽  
Homeotic Selector Genes ◽  
Homeotic Selector

TheDrosophilaproboscis is specified by two Hox genes,proboscipediaandSex combs reduced, via repression of leg and antennal appendage genes

Development ◽  
2001 ◽  
Vol 128 (14) ◽  
pp. 2803-2814 ◽  
Author(s):  
Arhat Abzhanov ◽  
Stacy Holtzman ◽  
Thomas C. Kaufman
Keyword(s):  
Limb Development ◽  
Hox Genes ◽  
Distinct Type ◽  
Wild Type ◽  
Fate Map ◽  
Genetic Studies ◽  
Unique Type ◽  
Sex Combs Reduced ◽  
Sex Combs ◽  
Labial Disc

The proboscis is one of the most highly modified appendages in Drosophila melanogaster. However, the phenotypes of proboscipedia (pb) mutants, which transform the proboscis into leg or antenna, indicate a basic homology among these limbs. Recent genetic studies have revealed a developmental system for patterning appendages and identified several genes required for limb development. Among these are: extradenticle (exd), homothorax (hth), dachshund (dac), Distal-less (Dll) and spalt (sal). These limb genes have not been well studied in wild-type mouthparts and their role if any in this appendage is not well understood. Here we demonstrate that the homeotic gene products Proboscipedia (Pb) and Sex combs reduced (Scr) regulate the limb genes in the labial disc to give rise to a unique type of appendage, the proboscis. Pb inhibits exd, dac and sal expression and downregulates Dll. This observation explains the ability of Pb to inhibit the effects of ectopically expressed trunk Hox genes in the proboscis, to suppress leg identity in the trunk and to transform antenna to maxillary palp. Scr suppresses sal expression and also downregulates Dll in the labial discs; discs mutant for both pb and Scr give rise to complete antennae, further demonstrating appendage homology. In the labial disc, Pb positively regulates transcription of Scr, whereas in the embryo, Scr positively regulates pb. Additionally, our results suggests a revised fate map of the labial disc. We conclude that the proboscis constitutes a genetically distinct type of appendage whose morphogenesis does not require several important components of leg and/or antennal patterning systems, but retains distal segmental homology with these appendages.

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