Ectopic gene expression and homeotic transformations in arthropods using recombinant Sindbis viruses
| Autor: | Mark A. DeCamillis, Stephen Higgs, Victoria A. Kassner, Jane E. Selegue, Craig R. Brunetti, David L. Lewis, Sean B. Carroll, Georg Halder |
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| Rok vydání: | 1999 |
| Předmět: |
Gene Expression Regulation
Viral Sindbis virus Recombinant Fusion Proteins Genetic Vectors General Biochemistry Genetics and Molecular Biology Hemiptera Cytopathogenic Effect Viral Species Specificity Homeotic selector gene Morphogenesis Animals Drosophila Proteins Wings Animal Gene Ultrabithorax Homeodomain Proteins Recombination Genetic Genetics Tribolium Agricultural and Biological Sciences(all) biology Pigmentation Biochemistry Genetics and Molecular Biology(all) Genes Homeobox Pupa Gene Expression Regulation Developmental Thorax biology.organism_classification DNA-Binding Proteins Imaginal disc Drosophila melanogaster Organ Specificity Larva Ectopic expression Sindbis Virus Artemia General Agricultural and Biological Sciences Homeotic gene Butterflies Head Transcription Factors |
| Zdroj: | Current Biology. 9:1279-1287 |
| ISSN: | 0960-9822 |
| DOI: | 10.1016/s0960-9822(00)80049-4 |
| Popis: | Background: The morphological diversity of arthropods makes them attractive subjects for studying the evolution of developmental mechanisms. Comparative analyses suggest that arthropod diversity has arisen largely as a result of changes in expression patterns of genes that control development. Direct analysis of how a particular gene functions in a given species during development is hindered by the lack of broadly applicable techniques for manipulating gene expression. Results: We report that the Arbovirus Sindbis can be used to deliver high levels of gene expression in vivo in a number of non-host arthropod species without causing cytopathic effects in infected cells or impairing development. Using recombinant Sindbis virus, we investigated the function of the homeotic gene Ultrabithorax in the development of butterfly wings and beetle embryos. Ectopic Ultrabithorax expression in butterfly forewing imaginal discs was sufficient to cause the transformation of characteristic forewing properties in the adult, including scale morphology and pigmentation, to those of the hindwing. Expression of Ultrabithorax in beetle embryos outside of its endogenous expression domain affected normal development of the body wall cuticle and appendages. Conclusions: The homeotic genes have long been thought to play an important role in the diversification of arthropod appendages. Using recombinant Sindbis virus, we were able to investigate homeotic gene function in non-model arthropod species. We found that Ultrabithorax is sufficient to confer hindwing identity in butterflies and alter normal development of anterior structures in beetles. Recombinant Sindbis virus has broad potential as a tool for analyzing how the function of developmental genes has changed during the diversification of arthropods. |
| Databáze: | OpenAIRE |
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