Coexpression of the homeobox genes Distal-less and homothorax determines Drosophila antennal identity

Development ◽  
2000 ◽  
Vol 127 (2) ◽  
pp. 209-216 ◽  
Author(s):  
P.D. Dong ◽  
J. Chu ◽  
G. Panganiban

The Distal-less gene is known for its role in proximodistal patterning of Drosophila limbs. However, Distal-less has a second critical function during Drosophila limb development, that of distinguishing the antenna from the leg. The antenna-specifying activity of Distal-less is genetically separable from the proximodistal patterning function in that certain Distal-less allelic combinations exhibit antenna-to-leg transformations without proximodistal truncations. Here, we show that Distal-less acts in parallel with homothorax, a previously identified antennal selector gene, to induce antennal differentiation. While mutations in either Distal-less or homothorax cause antenna-to-leg transformations, neither gene is required for the others expression, and both genes are required for antennal expression of spalt. Coexpression of Distal-less and homothorax activates ectopic spalt expression and can induce the formation of ectopic antennae at novel locations in the body, including the head, the legs, the wings and the genital disc derivatives. Ectopic expression of homothorax alone is insufficient to induce antennal differentiation from most limb fields, including that of the wing. Distal-less therefore is required for more than induction of a proximodistal axis upon which homothorax superimposes antennal identity. Based on their genetic and biochemical properties, we propose that Homothorax and Extradenticle may serve as antenna-specific cofactors for Distal-less.


Development ◽  
2001 ◽  
Vol 128 (3) ◽  
pp. 331-339 ◽  
Author(s):  
B. Estrada ◽  
E. Sanchez-Herrero

In Drosophila, the Hox gene Abdominal-B is required to specify the posterior abdomen and the genitalia. Homologues of Abdominal-B in other species are also needed to determine the posterior part of the body. We have studied the function of Abdominal-B in the formation of Drosophila genitalia, and show here that absence of Abdominal-B in the genital disc of Drosophila transforms male and female genitalia into leg or, less frequently, into antenna. These transformations are accompanied by the ectopic expression of genes such as Distal-less or dachshund, which are normally required in these appendages. The extent of wild-type and ectopic Distal-less expression depends on the antagonistic activities of the Abdominal-B gene, as a repressor, and of the decapentaplegic and wingless genes as activators. Absence of Abdominal-B also changes the expression of Homothorax, a Hox gene co-factor. Our results suggest that Abdominal-B forms genitalia by modifying an underlying positional information and repressing appendage development. We propose that the genital primordia should be subdivided into two regions, one of them competent to be transformed into an appendage in the absence of Abdominal-B.



Religions ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (6) ◽  
pp. 380
Author(s):  
Matthew John Paul Tan

This paper will focus on one element of the pushback against the massive influx of immigrants taken in for humanitarian purposes, namely, an identity-based chauvinism which uses identity as the point of resistance to the perceived dilution of that identity, brought about by the transformation of culture induced by the incorporation of a foreign other. The solution to this perceived dilution is a simultaneous defence of that culture and a demand for a conformity to it. While those in the critical tradition have encouraged a counter-position of revolutionary transformation by the other through ethics, dialogue, or the multitude, such a transformation is arguably impeded by what is ultimately a repetition of the metaphysics of conformity. Drawing on the personalism of Emmanuel Mounier and the Eucharistic theology of Creston Davis and Aaron Riches, this paper submits an alternative identity politics position that completes the revolutionary impulse. Identity here is not the flashpoint of a self-serving conflict, but the launch-point of politics of self-emptying, whose hallmarks include, on the one hand, a never-ending reception of transformation by the other, and on the other hand, an anchoring in the Body of Christ that is at once ever-changing and never-changing.



Genetics ◽  
2000 ◽  
Vol 156 (2) ◽  
pp. 763-774 ◽  
Author(s):  
Willis Li ◽  
Elizabeth Noll ◽  
Norbert Perrimon

Abstract Raf is an essential downstream effector of activated p21Ras (Ras) in transducing proliferation or differentiation signals. Following binding to Ras, Raf is translocated to the plasma membrane, where it is activated by a yet unidentified “Raf activator.” In an attempt to identify the Raf activator or additional molecules involved in the Raf signaling pathway, we conducted a genetic screen to identify genomic regions that are required for the biological function of Drosophila Raf (Draf). We tested a collection of chromosomal deficiencies representing ∼70% of the autosomal euchromatic genomic regions for their abilities to enhance the lethality associated with a hypomorphic viable allele of Draf, DrafSu2. Of the 148 autosomal deficiencies tested, 23 behaved as dominant enhancers of Draf  Su2, causing lethality in Draf  Su2 hemizygous males. Four of these deficiencies identified genes known to be involved in the Drosophila Ras/Raf (Ras1/Draf) pathway: Ras1, rolled (rl, encoding a MAPK), 14-3-3ϵ, and bowel (bowl). Two additional deficiencies removed the Drosophila Tec and Src homologs, Tec29A and Src64B. We demonstrate that Src64B interacts genetically with Draf and that an activated form of Src64B, when overexpressed in early embryos, causes ectopic expression of the Torso (Tor) receptor tyrosine kinase-target gene tailless. In addition, we show that a mutation in Tec29A partially suppresses a gain-of-function mutation in tor. These results suggest that Tec29A and Src64B are involved in Tor signaling, raising the possibility that they function to activate Draf. Finally, we discovered a genetic interaction between Draf  Su2 and Df(3L)vin5 that revealed a novel role of Draf in limb development. We find that loss of Draf activity causes limb defects, including pattern duplications, consistent with a role for Draf in regulation of engrailed (en) expression in imaginal discs.





2011 ◽  
Vol 240 (5) ◽  
pp. 1163-1172 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ian C. Dunn ◽  
I. Robert Paton ◽  
Allyson K. Clelland ◽  
Sujith Sebastian ◽  
Edward J. Johnson ◽  
...  


Development ◽  
2000 ◽  
Vol 127 (20) ◽  
pp. 4315-4323 ◽  
Author(s):  
T. Tsuji ◽  
A. Sato ◽  
I. Hiratani ◽  
M. Taira ◽  
K. Saigo ◽  
...  

During Drosophila leg development, the distal-most compartment (pretarsus) and its immediate neighbour (tarsal segment 5) are specified by a pretarsus-specific homeobox gene, aristaless, and tarsal-segment-specific Bar homeobox genes, respectively; the pretarsus/tarsal-segment boundary is formed by antagonistic interactions between Bar and pretarsus-specific genes that include aristaless (Kojima, T., Sato, M. and Saigo, K. (2000) Development 127, 769–778). Here, we show that Drosophila Lim1, a homologue of vertebrate Lim1 encoding a LIM-homeodomain protein, is involved in pretarsus specification and boundary formation through its activation of aristaless. Ectopic expression of Lim1 caused aristaless misexpression, while aristaless expression was significantly reduced in Lim1-null mutant clones. Pretarsus Lim1 expression was negatively regulated by Bar and abolished in leg discs lacking aristaless activity, which was associated with strong Bar misexpression in the presumptive pretarsus. No Lim1 misexpression occurred upon aristaless misexpression. The concerted function of Lim1 and aristaless was required to maintain Fasciclin 2 expression in border cells and form a smooth pretarsus/tarsal-segment boundary. Lim1 was also required for femur, coxa and antennal development.



Author(s):  
Muthukumaran P ◽  
Karthikeyan R ◽  
Nirmal Kumar R

As a basic physiology need threat to sufficient food, production is threat to human survival food security was a main issue that has gained global concern. This paper looks at the food borne contamination by assessing the availability of food and accessibility of the available food from a food as a microbiologist’s perspective, there are several microorganisms similarly viruses, bacteria, fungi, protozoans, and parasites for which foods serve as vehicles of transmission. Among these agents, several bacteria are most commonly implicated in foodborne outbreak episodes. Foodborne diseases in human beings are caused either by straight contact with infested food animals/animal products (zoonotic) or humans, such as a food handler, or by direct absorption of polluted foods. There are three important terms with regard to foodborne diseases foodborne infections, foodborne toxicoinfections and foodborne intoxications. Foodborne infection is the condition caused by the incorporation of viable cells of a pathogen. For example, Salmonella Enteritidis and Escherichia coli infections are brought about by the ingestion of food contaminated with living cells of these pathogens. Finally, foodborne toxicoinfection is that in which the ingestion of viable pathogenic cells causes the toxins productions inside the human body, leading to infection episodes. For example, Vibrio cholerae produces cholera toxin inside the body after being ingested by the host. The morphology, Gram’s reaction, biochemical properties, and associated foods with important foodborne bacteria.



2011 ◽  
Vol 23 ◽  
pp. 286-308
Author(s):  
Mikael Lindfelt

In is necessary to look more closely at the newly developed understanding of religion and secularization in in the new fluid role it has for many people today, and that religion is seen is part of a need to build up an individual, identity-based narrative. From this perspective it is interesting to note that both the characteristics of postmodern religiosity and the ideology of the modern sports movement point in the same direction: sport can function as a religious sentiment. Both have a seriousness that can be classified as religious, at least in a functional way, towards health, well-being, self-perfection, strength, vitality and beauty—goals which modern society offers as something attainable by all. In the midst of this secularized, this-worldly, immanent and attainable religion stands the notion of the perfect body, the symbol for both control and beauty, for well-being and power of will. The struggle for bodily perfection is, no doubt, an adventurism in itself. While striving at perfection the awareness of imperfection is constantly at hand.



2021 ◽  
Vol 2021 ◽  
pp. 1-12
Author(s):  
Xi Xiao ◽  
Yuanyuan Hou ◽  
Wei Yu ◽  
Sihua Qi

Background. Propofol is a widely used intravenous anesthetic drug with potential neuroprotective effect in diverse diseases of neuronal injuries such as traumatic brain injury and ischemic stroke. However, the underlying molecular mechanism remains largely unknown. Methods. Real-time qPCR, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, and Western blotting were used to identify the expression pattern of miR-221/222, inflammatory genes, cytokines, and IRF2. The biological roles and mechanisms of propofol in microglia activation were determined in BV2 cells and primary microglia. Bioinformatic analysis and luciferase reporter assay were used to confirm the regulatory role of miR-221/222 in Irf2 expression. Results. We found that miR-221 and miR-222 were downstream targets of propofol and were consistently upregulated in lipopolysaccharide- (LPS-) primed BV2 cells. Gain- and loss-of-function studies revealed that miR-221 and miR-222 were profoundly implicated in microglia activation. Then, interferon regulatory factor 2 (Irf2) was identified as a direct target gene of miR-221/222. IRF2 protein levels were reduced by miR-221/222 and increased by propofol treatment. Ectopic expression of IRF2 attenuated the proinflammatory roles induced by LPS in BV2 cells. More importantly, the suppressive effects of propofol on LPS-primed activation of BV2 cells or primary mouse microglia involved the inhibition of miR-221/222-IRF2 axis. Conclusions. Our study highlights the critical function of miR-221/222, which inhibited Irf2 translation, in the anti-inflammatory effects of propofol, and provides a new perspective for the molecular mechanism of propofol-mediated neuroprotective effect.



Development ◽  
1992 ◽  
Vol 115 (2) ◽  
pp. 629-637 ◽  
Author(s):  
C.N. Coelho ◽  
W.B. Upholt ◽  
R.A. Kosher

During early stages of normal chick limb development, the homeobox-containing (HOX) gene GHox-4.6 is expressed throughout the posterior mesoderm of the wing bud from which most of the skeletal elements including the digits will develop, whereas GHox-8 is expressed in the anterior limb bud mesoderm which will not give rise to skeletal elements. In the present study, we have examined the expression of GHox-4.6 and GHox-8 in the wing buds of two polydactylous mutant chick embryos, diplopodia-5 and talpid2, from which supernumerary digits develop from anterior limb mesoderm, and have also examined the expression of these genes in response to polarizing zone grafts and retinoic acid-coated bead implants which induce the formation of supernumerary digits from anterior limb mesoderm. We have found that the formation of supernumerary digits from the anterior mesoderm in mutant and experimentally induced polydactylous limb buds is preceded by the ectopic expression of GHox-4.6 in the anterior mesoderm and the coincident suppression of GHox-8 expression in the anterior mesoderm. These observations suggest that the anterior mesoderm of the polydactylous limb buds is “posteriorized” and support the suggestion that GHox-8 and GHox-4.6, respectively, are involved in specifying the anterior non-skeletal and posterior digit-forming regions of the limb bud. Although the anterior mesodermal domain of GHox-8 expression is severely impaired in the mutant and experimentally induced polydactylous limb buds, this gene is expressed by the prolonged, thickened apical ectodermal ridges of the polydactylous limb buds that extend along the distal anterior as well as the distal posterior mesoderm.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)



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