Canalization of segmentation and its evolution in Drosophila.

ABSTRACT: Segmentation in Drosophila embryogenesis occurs through a hierarchical cascade of regulatory gene expression driven by the establishment of a diffusion-mediated morphogen gradient. Here, we investigate the response of this pattern formation process to genetic variation and evolution in egg size. Specifically, we ask whether spatial localization of gap genes Kruppel (Kr) and giant (gt) and the pair-rule gene even-skipped (eve) during cellularization is robust to genetic variation in embryo length in three Drosophila melanogaster isolines and two closely related species. We identified two wild-derived strains of D. melanogaster whose eggs differ by approximately 25% in length when reared under identical conditions. These two lines, a D. melanogaster laboratory stock (w1118), and offspring fr

SUBMITTER: Lott SE 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC1891814 | biostudies-literature | 2007 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature