A single WNT enhancer drives specification and regeneration of the Drosophila wing.

ABSTRACT: Wings have provided an evolutionary advantage to insects and have allowed them to diversify. Here, we have identified in Drosophila a highly robust regulatory mechanism that ensures the specification and growth of the wing not only during normal development but also under stress conditions. We present evidence that a single wing-specific enhancer in the wingless gene is used in two consecutive developmental stages to first drive wing specification and then contribute to mediating the remarkable regenerative capacity of the developing wing upon injury. We identify two evolutionary conserved cis-regulatory modules within this enhancer that are utilized in a redundant manner to mediate these two activities through the use of distinct molecular mechanisms. Whereas Hedgehog and EGFR signalling

SUBMITTER: Gracia-Latorre E 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9395397 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature