Get 20M+ Full-Text Papers For Less Than $1.50/day. Start a 14-Day Trial for You or Your Team.

Learn More →

How to get ahead: the origin, evolution and function of bicoid

How to get ahead: the origin, evolution and function of bicoid In Drosophila, a Bcd protein gradient orchestrates patterning along the anteroposterior embryonic axis. However, studies of basal flies and other insects have revealed that bcd is a derived Hox3 gene found only in higher dipterans. To understand how bcd acquired its role in flies and how anteroposterior patterning mechanisms have evolved, I first review key features of bcd function in Drosophila: anterior localization and transcriptional and translation control of gene expression. I then discuss investigations of bcd in other higher dipterans that have provided insight into the evolution of regulatory interactions and the Bcd gradient. Finally, I review studies of Drosophila and other insects that address the evolution of bcd function and integration of bcd into ancestral regulatory mechanisms. I suggest further comparative studies may allow us to identify the intermediate steps in bcd evolution. This will make bcd a paradigm for the origin and evolution of genes and regulatory networks. BioEssays 27:904–913, 2005. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. http://www.deepdyve.com/assets/images/DeepDyve-Logo-lg.png BioEssays Wiley

How to get ahead: the origin, evolution and function of bicoid

BioEssays , Volume 27 (9) – Sep 1, 2005

Loading next page...
 
/lp/wiley/how-to-get-ahead-the-origin-evolution-and-function-of-bicoid-33BZU20ohT

References (120)

Publisher
Wiley
Copyright
Copyright © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
ISSN
0265-9247
eISSN
1521-1878
DOI
10.1002/bies.20285
pmid
16108065
Publisher site
See Article on Publisher Site

Abstract

In Drosophila, a Bcd protein gradient orchestrates patterning along the anteroposterior embryonic axis. However, studies of basal flies and other insects have revealed that bcd is a derived Hox3 gene found only in higher dipterans. To understand how bcd acquired its role in flies and how anteroposterior patterning mechanisms have evolved, I first review key features of bcd function in Drosophila: anterior localization and transcriptional and translation control of gene expression. I then discuss investigations of bcd in other higher dipterans that have provided insight into the evolution of regulatory interactions and the Bcd gradient. Finally, I review studies of Drosophila and other insects that address the evolution of bcd function and integration of bcd into ancestral regulatory mechanisms. I suggest further comparative studies may allow us to identify the intermediate steps in bcd evolution. This will make bcd a paradigm for the origin and evolution of genes and regulatory networks. BioEssays 27:904–913, 2005. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Journal

BioEssaysWiley

Published: Sep 1, 2005

There are no references for this article.