Multiple modes of engrailed regulation in the progression towards cell fate determination

Nature. 1991 Aug 1;352(6334):404-10. doi: 10.1038/352404a0.

Abstract

The engrailed gene product of Drosophila specifies the fate of a subset of cells in each segment. Our studies of engrailed regulation suggest that fate determination is an elaborate, multistep process. At the time in embryogenesis when the engrailed-dependent cell fate is probably determined, four modes of control act in an overlapping progression to govern engrailed expression. After activation by pair-rule genes, both an extracellular signal, wingless, and autoregulation are required for engrailed expression. Autoregulation graduates to wingless independence, but is transient, and is superseded by an engrailed-independent mode of maintenance.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Cell Differentiation / genetics*
  • Drosophila / embryology
  • Drosophila / genetics*
  • Ectoderm / cytology
  • Gene Expression Regulation*
  • Homeostasis
  • Hot Temperature
  • Mutation
  • Promoter Regions, Genetic
  • Stem Cells / cytology
  • Wings, Animal / embryology