Different requirements for l(1)giant in two embryonic domains of Drosophila melanogaster

Abstract

l(1) giant is a zygotic lethal mutation which affects the embryonic development of both the labial/thoracic segments and a subset of posterior abdominal segments. Using antibodies specific for proteins encoded by several Drosophila genes to identify the compartmental origin of the defects, we show that the requirement of giant activity is different in these two embryonic domains. Anteriorly, the posterior compartment of the labial segment is missing at the blastoderm stage. Posteriorly, cells are specifically deleted by cell death within the anterior compartments of abdominal segments 5-7 during germ band elongation. In mature embryos, posterior compartment structures of the peripheral nervous system of A5-7 are fused. In addition to a different pattern of defect in the two parts of the embryo, the kind of action appears different. Anteriorly, giant resembles a gap mutation in that a particular region is missing from the blastoderm fate map, whereas in the abdominal domain, giant affects the development of anterior compartment-specific structures.