Abstract
BackgroundIn the vinegar fly Drosophila melanogaster, the homeodomain containing transcription factor Teashirt (Tsh) appears to specify trunk identity in concert with the function of the Hox genes. While in Drosophila there is a second gene closely related to tsh, called tiptop (tio), in other arthropods species only one copy exists (called tio/tsh). The expression of tsh and tio/tsh, respectively, is surprisingly similar among arthropods suggesting that its function as trunk selector gene may be conserved. Other research, for example on the beetle Tribolium castaneum, questions even conservation of Tsh function among insects. The zinc-finger transcription factor Spalt (Sal) is involved in the regulation of Drosophila tsh, but this regulatory interaction does not appear to be conserved in Tribolium either. Whether the function and interaction of tsh and sal as potential trunk-specifiers, however, is conserved is still unclear because comparative studies on sal expression (except for Tribolium) are lacking, and functional data are (if at all existing) restricted to Insecta.ResultsHere, we provide additional data on arthropod tsh expression, show the first data on onychophoran tio/tsh expression, and provide a comprehensive investigation on sal expression patterns in arthropods and an onychophoran.ConclusionsOur data support the idea that tio/tsh genes are involved in the development of “trunk” segments by regulating limb development. Our data suggest further that the function of Sal is indeed unlikely to be conserved in trunk vs head development like in Drosophila, but early expression of sal is in line with a potential homeotic function, at least in Arthropoda.
Highlights
Segmentation and tagmosis, the subdivision of the anterior–posterior (AP) body axis into serially homologous units and functional body units, represent key innovations in the evolution of arthropods, that have enabled them to become the most successful group of animals [8]
Tio- and Tsh-type proteins can be identified by the presence of a unique set of five zinc fingers (ZFs) (Fig. 1A) [10]
The ZF2, ZF3 and ZF5 are of the C2H2-type, while ZF4 is of the C2HC-type (Fig. 1A)
Summary
Segmentation and tagmosis, the subdivision of the anterior–posterior (AP) body axis into serially homologous units (segments) and functional body units (tagmata), represent key innovations in the evolution of arthropods, that have enabled them to become the most successful group of animals [8]. In the vinegar fly Drosophila melanogaster, the specific identity of each segment is under control of the Hox genes, a group of closely related homeodomain containing transcription factors In the vinegar fly Drosophila melanogaster, the homeodomain containing transcription factor Teashirt (Tsh) appears to specify trunk identity in concert with the function of the Hox genes. The zinc-finger transcription factor Spalt (Sal) is involved in the regulation of Drosophila tsh, but this regulatory interaction does not appear to be conserved in Tribolium either. Whether the function and interaction of tsh and sal as potential trunk-specifiers, is conserved is still unclear because comparative studies on sal expression (except for Tribolium) are lacking, and functional data are (if at all exist‐ ing) restricted to Insecta
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Disclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.