201. Drosophila miniature and dusky encode ZP proteins required for cytoskeletal reorganisation during wing morphogenesis.
- Author
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Roch F, Alonso CR, and Akam M
- Subjects
- Amino Acid Sequence genetics, Animals, Base Sequence genetics, Cytoskeleton genetics, Cytoskeleton ultrastructure, Drosophila Proteins genetics, Drosophila melanogaster metabolism, Drosophila melanogaster ultrastructure, Epidermis growth & development, Epidermis metabolism, Epidermis ultrastructure, Epithelial Cells metabolism, Epithelial Cells ultrastructure, Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental genetics, Insect Proteins genetics, Insect Proteins metabolism, Larva growth & development, Larva metabolism, Larva ultrastructure, Membrane Proteins genetics, Metamorphosis, Biological genetics, Microscopy, Electron, Microscopy, Electron, Scanning, Molecular Sequence Data, Morphogenesis, Mutation physiology, Protein Structure, Tertiary genetics, Wings, Animal metabolism, Wings, Animal ultrastructure, Cytoskeleton metabolism, Drosophila Proteins deficiency, Drosophila melanogaster growth & development, Membrane Proteins deficiency, Wings, Animal growth & development
- Abstract
We have characterised the function of two Drosophila genes, miniature and dusky, that are required for the morphological reorganisation of the apical membrane during wing epidermis differentiation. These genes encode transmembrane proteins containing a ZP (zona pellucida) domain and are homologous to several vertebrate and invertebrate apical matrix components. miniature and dusky are only expressed in tissues secreting a cuticle, and the Min protein localises to the apical membrane during the early stages of cuticle formation. We propose that Min and Dusky form a novel subfamily within the ZP domain proteins and are specifically involved in the interactions between the apical membrane, the cytoskeleton and the forming cuticle.
- Published
- 2003
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