Dynamics of Inductive ERK Signaling in the Drosophila Embryo.

ABSTRACT: Transient activation of the highly conserved extracellular-signal-regulated kinase (ERK) establishes precise patterns of cell fates in developing tissues. Quantitative parameters of these transients are essentially unknown, but a growing number of studies suggest that changes in these parameters can lead to a broad spectrum of developmental abnormalities. We provide a detailed quantitative picture of an ERK-dependent inductive signaling event in the early Drosophila embryo, an experimental system that offers unique opportunities for high-throughput studies of developmental signaling. Our analysis reveals a spatiotemporal pulse of ERK activation that is consistent with a model in which transient production of a short-ranged ligand feeds into a simple signal interpretation system. The pulse

SUBMITTER: Lim B 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4675133 | biostudies-literature | 2015 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature