Phenotypic suppression of empty spiracles is prevented by buttonhead

Frieder Schöck, Joachim Reischl, Ernst Wimmer, Heike Taubert, Beverly A. Purnell and Herbert Jäckle ()
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Frieder Schöck: Max-Planck-Institut für Biophysikalische Chemie, Abt. Molekulare Entwicklungsbiologie
Joachim Reischl: Lehrstuhl für Genetik, Universität Bayreuth
Ernst Wimmer: Lehrstuhl für Genetik, Universität Bayreuth
Heike Taubert: Max-Planck-Institut für Biophysikalische Chemie, Abt. Molekulare Entwicklungsbiologie
Beverly A. Purnell: Max-Planck-Institut für Biophysikalische Chemie, Abt. Molekulare Entwicklungsbiologie
Herbert Jäckle: Max-Planck-Institut für Biophysikalische Chemie, Abt. Molekulare Entwicklungsbiologie

Nature, 2000, vol. 405, issue 6784, 351-354

Abstract: Abstract Unlike the trunk segments, the anterior head segments of Drosophila are formed in the absence of pair-rule1,2 and HOX-cluster gene3 expression, by the activities of the gap-like genes orthodenticle (otd), empty spiracles (ems) and buttonhead (btd)4,5. The products of these genes are transcription factors6,7, but only EMS has a HOX-like homeodomain8,9. Indeed, ems can confer identity to trunk segments10 when other HOX-cluster gene activities are absent3,11. In trunk segments of wild-type embryos, however, ems activity is prevented by phenotypic suppression10, in which more posterior HOX-cluster genes inactivate the more anterior without affecting transcription or translation12. ems is suppressed by all other Hox-cluster genes and so is placed at the bottom of their hierarchy10. Here we show that misexpression of EMS in the head transforms segment identity in a btd-dependent manner, that misexpression of BTD in the trunk causes ems-dependent structures to develop, and that EMS and BTD interact in vitro. The data indicate that this interaction may allow ems to escape from the bottom of the HOX-cluster gene hierarchy and cause a dominant switch of homeotic prevalence in the anterior–posterior direction.

Date: 2000
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DOI: 10.1038/35012620

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