A Hox complex activates and potentiates the Epidermal Growth Factor signaling pathway to specify Drosophila oenocytes.

ABSTRACT: Hox transcription factors specify distinct cell types along the anterior-posterior axis of metazoans by regulating target genes that modulate signaling pathways. A well-established example is the induction of Epidermal Growth Factor (EGF) signaling by an Abdominal-A (Abd-A) Hox complex during the specification of Drosophila hepatocyte-like cells (oenocytes). Previous studies revealed that Abd-A is non-cell autonomously required to promote oenocyte fate by directly activating a gene (rhomboid) that triggers EGF secretion from sensory organ precursor (SOP) cells. Neighboring cells that receive the EGF signal initiate a largely unknown pathway to promote oenocyte fate. Here, we show that Abd-A also plays a cell autonomous role in inducing oenocyte fate by activating the expression of the Poin

SUBMITTER: Wang G 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5536354 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature