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Homeotic Proboscipedia Function Modulates Hedgehog-Mediated Organizer Activity to Pattern Adult Drosophila Mouthparts

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Homeotic Proboscipedia Function Modulates Hedgehog-Mediated Organizer Activity to Pattern Adult Drosophila Mouthparts View metadata, citation and similar papers at core.ac.uk brought to you by CORE provided by Elsevier - Publisher Connector Developmental Biology 278 (2005) 496–510 www.elsevier.com/locate/ydbio Genomes & Developmental Control Homeotic proboscipedia function modulates hedgehog-mediated organizer activity to pattern adult Drosophila mouthparts Laurent Joulia1, Henri-Marc Bourbon1, David L. Cribbs* Centre de Biologie du De´veloppement-CNRS, 118 route de Narbonne, 31062 Toulouse Cedex 04, France Received for publication 23 July 2004, revised 25 October 2004, accepted 3 November 2004 Available online 26 November 2004 Abstract Drosophila proboscipedia (pb; HoxA2/B2 homolog) mutants develop distal legs in place of their adult labial mouthparts. Here we examine how pb homeotic function distinguishes the developmental programs of labium and leg. We find that the labial-to-leg transformation in pb mutants occurs progressively over a 2-day period in mid-development, as viewed with identity markers such as dachshund (dac). This transformation requires hedgehog activity, and involves a morphogenetic reorganization of the labial imaginal disc. Our results implicate pb function in modulating global axial organization. Pb protein acts in at least two ways. First, Pb cell autonomously regulates the expression of target genes such as dac. Second, Pb acts in opposition to the organizing action of hedgehog. This latter action is cell-autonomous, but has a nonautonomous effect on labial structure, via the negative regulation of wingless/dWnt and decapentaplegic/TGF-h. This opposition of Pb to hedgehog target expression appears to occur at the level of the conserved transcription factor cubitus interruptus/Gli that mediates hedgehog signaling activity. These results extend selector function to primary steps of tissue patterning, and lead us to suggest the notion of a homeotic organizer. D 2004 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. Keywords: Homeotic; Proboscipedia; Hedgehog; Organizer; Signaling; Wingless; Decapentaplegic Introduction ment morphology and cell identity through the regulation of batteries of target genes (Mann and Morata, 2000; McGinnis Homeotic selector genes organize development in and Krumlauf, 1992). A growing number of homeotic target regions along the anterior–posterior (A–P) axis of highly genes has now been identified (Graba et al., 1997; diverse animal species, conferring identity to groups of Weatherbee et al., 1998). Several recent studies have contiguous cells. In Drosophila, homeotic mutants with provided compelling evidence that Drosophila Hox selec- altered selector function provoke transformations of one tors discriminate among alternative cell fates, presumably body segment to another. This developmental reprogram- through gene regulation, as a function of the cellular context ming, a defining property of homeotic genes (Bateson, (Brodu et al., 2002; Estrada and Sanchez-Herrero, 2001; 1894), is believed to reflect the altered expression of Rozowski and Akam, 2002). Though extensive duplication downstream target brealisatorQ genes (Garcia-Bellido, complicates functional analysis in vertebrates, the Hox 1975). In accord with this prediction, Hox genes code for genes individually and the gene complexes they compose homeodomain transcription factors thought to control seg- are remarkably conserved in a wide variety of metazoans (for review, see McGinnis and Krumlauf, 1992). Numerous studies of vertebrate Hox genes have described complex and dynamic developmental roles in regional and cellular * Corresponding author. Fax: +33 561 55 65 07. E-mail addresses: [email protected] (L. Joulia)8 [email protected] specification within the central nervous system, in limb (H.-M. Bourbon)8 [email protected] (D.L. Cribbs). and muscle development, or in organizing and confining 1 Fax: +33 561 55 65 07. plasticity in the neural crest (Maconochie et al., 1996; 0012-1606/$ - see front matter D 2004 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. doi:10.1016/j.ydbio.2004.11.003 L. Joulia et al. / Developmental Biology 278 (2005) 496–510 497 Trainor and Krumlauf, 2001). Further, some vertebrate Hox leads to a second morphogen gradient complementary to the mutants show clear developmental transformations (Maco- dpp signal. nochie et al., 1996) that are viewed as analogous to Surprisingly little is known of the nature of a Hox Drosophila homeotic mutants. network involved in specifying segment form and identity, Adult legs and wings are often-used models for and this problem has remained stubbornly refractory to our patterning by homeotic genes in Drosophila development, understanding. Until rather recently, homeotic functions and legs are exemplary in this regard. They originate have most often been viewed as essentially cellular. from the ventral leg imaginal discs through a shared However, homeotic genes can have a nonautonomous effect patterning mechanism defined by a complex genetic on segment development implying intercellular communi- cascade. A–P imaginal disc subdivision reflects the cation, as described for the role of Antennapedia in posterior expression of the segment polarity gene distinguishing leg and antennal developmental programs engrailed (en). Localized expression of the En homeo- (Struhl, 1981). Important new insights from studies of the domain protein that defines the posterior compartment role of the Drosophila homeotic Ubx locus in differentiating activates transcription of hedgehog (hh) in posterior cells, haltere from wing have renewed the question of a homeotic providing a source of secreted Hh protein that serves as a network. The Ubx homeodomain protein is now seen as short-range morphogen across the A–P compartment playing a role in the global elaboration of the haltere boundary. A nexus of the hh pathway is at the level of imaginal disc, where it regulates diverse genes involved at the Cubitus interruptus (Ci) zinc-finger protein expressed multiple levels in signaling pathway output (Weatherbee et in anterior cells. Differential cleavage of Ci results in al., 1998). One potentially important level of Ubx action is alternative protein forms that are dynamically cycled nonautonomous and global, by restraining wingless/dWnt between the cytoplasm and nucleus: a noncleaved signaling from a localized dorso-ventral (D–V) organizer activator form near the source, or a processed repressor influencing wing growth, patterning, and cell differentiation form in more distant anterior cells (Aza-Blanc and (Shashidhara et al., 1999). Kornberg, 1999; Aza-Blanc et al., 1997). Active Ci near The labial palps, the drinking and taste apparatus of the the frontier contributes in turn to D–V patterning by adult fly head, are highly refined ventral appendages activating the mutually antagonistic decapentaplegic (dpp) homologous to legs and antennae. As for most adult and wingless (wg) genes that express secreted TGF-h and structures, these mouthparts are derived from larval Wnt family proteins in the anterior compartment (Basler imaginal discs, the labial discs. Wild-type proboscipedia and Struhl, 1994; Brook and Cohen, 1996; Jiang and (pb; HoxA2/B2 homolog) selector function acts together Struhl, 1996; Penton and Hoffmann, 1996). The expres- with a second Hox locus, Scr, to direct the development of sion of the Dpp and Wg morphogens along the A–P the labial discs giving rise to the adult proboscis. In the boundary of the leg disc, in the dorsal and ventral absence of pb activity, the adult labium is transformed to territories, respectively, permits their joint action in distal prothoracic (T1) legs, reflecting the ongoing expres- patterning the proximo-distal (P–D) axis through the sion and function of Scr in the same disc (Abzhanov et al., activation [Distal-less (Dll) and dachshund (dac)] or the 2001; Percival-Smith et al., 1997). Though the pb locus repression [homothorax (hth)] of target genes (Abu-Shaar shows prominent segmental embryonic expression, as for and Mann, 1998; Diaz-Benjumea et al., 1994; Lecuit and the other Drosophila homeotic genes of the Bithorax and Cohen, 1997). Each resulting leg pair is distinct, with the Antennapedia complexes, it is unique in that it has no segment-specific differences in morphology and specific detected embryonic function (Pultz et al., 1988) and null pb bristle pattern attributed to a unique Hox selector gene: mutants eclose as adults that are unable to feed. Thus, Sex combs reduced (Scr) in the T1, or prothoracic normal pb selector function is required relatively late, in segment, Antennapedia (Antp) in T2 (mesothorax), and the labial imaginal discs that proliferate and differentiate Ultrabithorax (Ubx) in T3 (metathorax), respectively during larval/pupal development to yield the adult labial (Struhl, 1982). palps. Though the genetic pathway guiding development of A related process takes place in the dorsal imaginal discs the ventral labial imaginal discs to adult mouthparts giving rise to wings and halteres. There, activator Ci remains relatively unexplored both in flies and elsewhere, contributes to A–P patterning through the localized activa- one recent study of P–D patterning identified several genes tion of dpp in anterior cells adjacent to the A–P boundary; subject to pb regulation in the labial discs (notably Dll, the resulting gradient of secreted TGF-h morphogen dac, and hth) and indicated a distinct organization of diffusing from this source contributes to establishing wing normal labial discs compared to other imaginal discs size and pattern. Contrary to leg discs, however, wing (Abzhanov et
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