Dachshund and eyes absent proteins form a complex and function synergistically to induce ectopic eye development in Drosophila

Nuclear proteins encoded by the eyeless, dachshund, and eyes absent genes, are necessary for eye development in Drosophila. The formation of ectopic compound eyes may be induced by misexpression of eyless or dachshund. It is shown that dachshund and eyes absent genes induce ectopic retinal development synergistically, regulating the expression of each other. The proteins are shown to physically interact via conserved domains.