Biomedical subjects

U Tepass

Publications and source records attributed to U Tepass.

24 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

PubMed1993

Crumbs and stardust act in a genetic pathway that controls the organization of epithelia in Drosophila melanogaster.

We provide evidence that the genes crumbs (crb) and stardust (sdt) encode critical components of a pathway that acts at the apical pole of epithelial cells to control the cytoarchitecture of ectodermally derived epithelia of the Drosophila embryo. We describe the developmental defects caused by sdt mutations, which are very similar to those associated with mutations in crb. In both mutants the epithelial structure of ectodermal cells breaks down during early organogenesis, leading to the formation of irregular clusters of cells and cell death in some epithelia. Certain cells can, however, compensate for the loss of crb or sdt function in a tissue-specific manner, later reassuming an epithelial cell shape and forming small epithelial vesicles, suggesting that, besides crb and sdt, other tissue-specific components are involved in this process. The crb protein (CRB) is continuously expressed in wild-type embryos in cells of the ectoderm and ectodermally derived epithelia. In sdt mutant embryos CRB is present only during gastrulation, but becomes undetectable during germ band extension; the protein is again visible during early organogenesis, at the time when the sdt mutant phenotype becomes apparent. In sdt mutant embryos, CRB is associated with the apical membrane only in well-differentiated epithelial cells, but it is expressed diffusely in the cytoplasm of cells which have lost epithelial morphology. Our results suggest that time- and tissue-specific control mechanisms exist to establish and maintain epithelial cell structure. Mosaic experiments suggest that sdt is required cell autonomously, in contrast to crb, the requirement of which appears to be non-cell-autonomous. Double mutant combinations of crb and sdt suggest that these genes are part of a common genetic pathway (crb/sdt pathway), in which sdt acts downstream of crb and is activated by the latter.

Animals↗

PubMed1993

crumbs and stardust, two genes of Drosophila required for the development of epithelial cell polarity.

Loss-of-function mutations in the Drosophila genes crumbs and stardust are embryonic lethal and cause a breakdown of ectodermally derived epithelia during organogenesis, leading to formation of irregular cell clusters and extensive cell death in some epithelia. The mutant phenotype develops gradually and affects the various epithelia to different extents. crumbs encodes a large transmembrane protein with 30 EGF-like repeats and four laminin A G-domain-like repeats in its extracellular domain, suggesting its participation in protein-protein interactions. The CRUMBS protein is exclusively expressed on the apical membrane of all ectodermally derived epithelia, the tissues affected in crumbs and stardust mutant embryos. The gene function is completely abolished by a crumbs mutation that causes production of a protein with a truncated cytoplasmic domain. Instead of being apically localized as in wild-type, the mutant CRUMBS protein is diffusely distributed in the cytoplasm; this occurs before any morphologically detectable cellular phenotype is visible, suggesting that targeting of proteins is affected in crumbs mutant embryos. Later, the protein can be detected on the apical and basolateral membranes. Mutations in stardust produce a phenotype nearly identical to that associated with crumbs mutations, suggesting that both genes are functionally related. Double mutant combinations and gene dosage studies suggest that both genes are part of a common genetic pathway, in which stardust acts downstream of crumbs.

Animals↗

PubMed1992

The function of the neurogenic genes during epithelial development in the Drosophila embryo.

The complex embryonic phenotype of the six neurogenic mutations Notch, mastermind, big brain, Delta, Enhancer of split and neuralized was analyzed by using different antibodies and PlacZ markers, which allowed us to label most of the known embryonic tissues. Our results demonstrate that all of the neurogenic mutants show abnormalities in many different organs derived from all three germ layers. Defects caused by the neurogenic mutations in ectodermally derived tissues fell into two categories. First, all cell types that delaminate from the ectoderm (neuroblasts, sensory neurons, peripheral glia cells and oenocytes) are increased in number. Secondly, ectodermal tissues that in the wild type form epithelial structures lose their epithelial phenotype and dissociate (optic lobe, stomatogastric nervous system) or show significant differentiative abnormalities (trachea, Malpighian tubules and salivary gland). Abnormalities in tissues derived from the mesoderm were observed in all six neurogenic mutations. Most importantly, somatic myoblasts do not fuse and/or form an aberrant muscle pattern. Cardioblasts (which form the embryonic heart) are increased in number and show differentiative abnormalities; other mesodermal cell types (fat body, pericardial cells) are significantly decreased. The development of the endoderm (midgut rudiments) is disrupted in most of the neurogenic mutations (Notch, Delta, Enhancer of split and neuralized) during at least two stages. Defects occur as early as during gastrulation when the invaginating midgut rudiments prematurely lose their epithelial characteristics. Later, the transition of the midgut rudiments to form the midgut epithelium does not occur. In addition, the number of adult midgut precursor cells that segregate from the midgut rudiments is strongly increased. We propose that, at least in the ectodermally and endodermally derived tissues, neurogenic gene function is primarily involved in interactions among cells that need to acquire or to maintain an epithelial phenotype.

Animals↗

PubMed1990

crumbs encodes an EGF-like protein expressed on apical membranes of Drosophila epithelial cells and required for organization of epithelia.

We describe the molecular characterization of the Drosophila gene crumbs, which encodes an integral membrane protein with 30 EGF-like repeats in the extracellular part and exhibits a striking expression pattern. The protein is exclusively localized on the apical membranes of epithelial cells and concentrated at the borders between cells. Mutations in crumbs lead to severe disruptions in the organization of ectodermally derived epithelia and in some cases to cell death in these tissues. The structure and the expression pattern of the protein and the phenotype of mutations indicate a function of crumbs during the development of epithelia, possibly for the establishment and/or maintenance of cell polarity.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

PubMed1987

EGF homologous sequences encoded in the genome of Drosophila melanogaster, and their relation to neurogenic genes.

The function of the neurogenic genes of Drosophila melanogaster is required for a normal pattern of commitment of neural and epidermal progenitor cells. In the course of searching for a molecular basis for the functional interrelationships that exist between the neurogenic genes, fragments of cloned DNA from the genes master mind (mam), Delta (Dl), Enhancer of split [E(spl)] and Notch (N) were hybridized to each other. Strong cross-hybridization was observed between a fragment of the Dl gene and a fragment of the N gene encoding a peptide with homology to several proteins of mammals, including the epidermal growth factor (EGF). Sequencing of this Dl fragment revealed an open reading frame encoding four EGF-like repeats with homology to the repeats found in the N gene. Screening genomic and cDNA libraries under conditions of reduced stringency with Dl and N probes that encode EGF-like repeats uncovered several cross-hybridizing clones, suggesting that other Drosophila genes may also encode such peptides. Part of a cross-hybridizing cDNA clone, derived from a gene located at position 95F on the third chromosome, was sequenced and found to encode five repeats with homology to those encoded by N and Dl. Preliminary evidence on the spatial pattern of transcription indicates that the gene at position 95F is regulated in its expression, as it is transcribed in all ectodermal derivatives, with the exception of the central nervous system. Indirect evidence suggests that this clone may derive from the crumbs (crb) gene, which is likely to be an hitherto unknown neurogenic gene.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Amino Acid Sequence↗

PubMed1987

The enhancer of split locus and neurogenesis in Drosophila melanogaster.

Enhancer of split (E(spl)) is one of a group of so-called neurogenic genes of Drosophila. We describe two different types of E(spl) alleles, dominant and recessive, which exert opposite effects on both central and peripheral nervous system development. The only extant dominant allele determines a reduction in the number of central neurons and peripheral sensilla; this phenotype is not reduced by a normal complement of wild-type alleles. Since animals carrying a triploidy for the wild-type locus develop similar defects, the dominant allele is probably the result of a gain-of-function mutation. Several recessive alleles, obtained as revertants of the dominant allele, are loss-of-function mutations and determine considerable neural hyperplasia. The present evidence suggests that neural defects of E(spl) mutants are due to defective segregation of neural and epidermal lineages, leading to neural commitment of less or of more cells than in the wild type, depending upon whether the animals carry the dominant or any of the recessive alleles, respectively. Therefore, E(spl) formally behaves as a gene switching between neural and epidermal pathways.

Alleles↗