The segment polarity genes act via cell-cell interaction to establish and maintain pattern within the segmental primordia of the Drosophila blastoderm. Genetic and molecular data indicate that one of these, wingless (Drosophila int-1), encodes a secreted protein which acts as an intrasegmental signal. Through extensive searches for late zygotic lethal mutations with specific maternal effects, our laboratory has identified two genes, porcupine and dishevelled, which produce embryonic and imaginal phenotypes similar to those of wingless. Both genes are required for the known regulatory effects of wingless on other segmentation genes, suggesting that they function in the wingless signalling pathway. We investigated the roles of these genes by determining their cellular requirements and their effects on wingless protein expression patterns. porcupine is involved in presentation of the wingless signal to its target cells, and dishevelled is required within those cells for reception or interpretation of the signal. In this proposal, we focus on the genetic, molecular and biochemical characterization of dishevelled and porcupine with the ultimate goal of identifying key molecules involved in the int-1 signal transduction pathway.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health & Human Development (NICHD)
Type
Research Project (R01)
Project #
2R01HD023684-04A1
Application #
3323852
Study Section
Genetics Study Section (GEN)
Project Start
1992-09-01
Project End
1995-08-31
Budget Start
1992-09-01
Budget End
1993-08-31
Support Year
4
Fiscal Year
1992
Total Cost
Indirect Cost
Name
Harvard University
Department
Type
Schools of Medicine
DUNS #
082359691
City
Boston
State
MA
Country
United States
Zip Code
02115