Prothoracicotropic hormone modulates environmental adaptive plasticity through the control of developmental timing.

ABSTRACT: Adult size and fitness are controlled by a combination of genetics and environmental cues. In Drosophila, growth is confined to the larval phase and final body size is impacted by the duration of this phase, which is under neuroendocrine control. The neuropeptide prothoracicotropic hormone (PTTH) has been proposed to play a central role in controlling the length of the larval phase through regulation of ecdysone production, a steroid hormone that initiates larval molting and metamorphosis. Here, we test this by examining the consequences of null mutations in the Ptth gene for Drosophila development. Loss of Ptth causes several developmental defects, including a delay in developmental timing, increase in critical weight, loss of coordination between

SUBMITTER: Shimell M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5897599 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature