Where is engrailed expressed in the Drosophila embryo?

engrailed is first expressed in early gastrulating embryos, three to four hours after fertilization. The first stripe is just posterior to the deep groove subdividing the head (cephalic furrow). Subsequently, 13 other stripes appear along the longitudinal axis of the embryo.

What does engrailed do in Drosophila?

In Drosophila, the “engrailed” (en) gene plays an important role, determining segmentation during development and is required for the formation of posterior compartments.

What does engrailed gene do?

The engrailed gene is thought to be a ‘selector’ gene that controls the expression of other genes to confer a ‘posterior identity’ on groups of cells that are related to each other by lineage.

How many cells are in a Drosophila wing disc?

Abstract. The Drosophila wing imaginal disc is a tissue of undifferentiated cells that are precursors of the wing and most of the notum of the adult fly. The wing disc first forms during embryogenesis from a cluster of ∼30 cells located in the second thoracic segment, which invaginate to form a sac-like structure.

What is Engrailed transcription?

Engrailed is a homeoprotein transcription factor. This family of transcription factors is characterized by their DNA-binding homeodomain and some members, including Engrailed, can transfer between cells and regulate protein translation in addition to gene transcription.

What is FTZ gene?

THE fushi tarazu (ftz) gene is a pair-rule segmentation gene that functions to define even-numbered parasegments in the early embryo. ftz null mutants die as late embryos that entirely lack these parasegments (Wakimoto et al. 1984).

When in development do imaginal discs arise or can be distinguished?

2. Imaginal Discs. Imaginal disc morphogenesis begins at different times during the third instar depending on the fate of the specific disc. For example, eye discs begin to differentiate in mid third instar, whereas wing and leg imaginal disc morphogenesis begins in late third instar in response to 20-HE.

What is homeodomain sequence?

The homeodomain is a common DNA-binding structural motif found in many eukaryotic regulatory proteins (1,2). Homeodomain proteins are involved in the transcriptional control of many developmentally important genes, and 143 human loci have been linked to various genetic and genomic disorders.

What is Bicoid mRNA?

Bicoid mRNA is actively localized to the anterior of the fruit fly egg during oogenesis along microtubules by the motor protein dynein, and retained there through association with cortical actin. Translation of bicoid is regulated by its 3′ UTR and begins after egg deposition.

How many imaginal disc does an early Drosophila larva have?

In total, there are 19 discs in the larva, with nine bilateral pairs that will form epidermal structures, and a genital medial disc (Held 2005) (Fig.

What is the homeodomain sequence?

It is a sequence of about 180 base pairs giving rise to about 60 amino acids. The homeobox domain occurs in proteins that are transcription factors which are involved in the patterns of anatomical development. The homeodomains (HDs) of transcription factors have a characteristic DNA-binding fold.

What is the function of Ultrabithorax gene in fruit flies?

The Ubx gene regulates the decisions regarding the number of wings and legs the adult flies will have.