Hedgehog signal transduction in the posterior compartment of the Drosophila wing imaginal disc

Mol Cell. 2000 Aug;6(2):479-85. doi: 10.1016/s1097-2765(00)00046-0.

Abstract

Drosophila Hedgehog (Hh) is secreted by Posterior (P) compartment cells and induces Anterior (A) cells to create a developmental organizer at the AP compartment border. Hh signaling converts Fused (Fu) to a hyperphosphorylated form, Fu*. We show that A border cells of wing imaginal discs contain Fu*. Unexpectedly, P cells also produce Fu*, in a Hh-dependent and Ptc-independent manner. Increasing Ptc, the putative Hh receptor expressed specifically by A cells, reduced Fu*. These results are consistent with proposals that Ptc downregulates Hh signaling and suggest that a receptor other than Ptc mediates Hh signaling in P cells of imaginal discs. We conclude that Hh signals in these P cells and that the outputs of the pathway are blocked by transcriptional repression.

Publication types

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

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Drosophila Proteins*
  • Drosophila melanogaster / genetics
  • Drosophila melanogaster / physiology*
  • Gene Expression Regulation
  • Hedgehog Proteins
  • Insect Proteins / genetics
  • Insect Proteins / physiology*
  • Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases / physiology*
  • Sequence Deletion
  • Signal Transduction / physiology*
  • Transcription, Genetic
  • Wings, Animal / cytology
  • Wings, Animal / growth & development

Substances

  • Drosophila Proteins
  • Hedgehog Proteins
  • Insect Proteins
  • hh protein, Drosophila
  • fu protein, Drosophila
  • Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases