Bicoid gradient formation mechanism and dynamics revealed by protein lifetime analysis.

ABSTRACT: Embryogenesis relies on instructions provided by spatially organized signaling molecules known as morphogens. Understanding the principles behind morphogen distribution and how cells interpret locally this information remains a major challenge in developmental biology. Here, we introduce morphogen-age measurements as a novel approach to test models of morphogen gradient formation. Using a tandem fluorescent timer as a protein age sensor, we find a gradient of increasing age of Bicoid along the anterior-posterior axis in the early Drosophila embryo. Quantitative analysis of the protein age distribution across the embryo reveals that the synthesis-diffusion-degradation model is the most likely model underlying Bicoid gradient formation, and rules out other hypotheses for gradient form

SUBMITTER: Durrieu L 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6121778 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature