biostudies-literaturePoliacikova GNIH HHSeadr2261https://www.ebi.ac.uk/biostudies/studies/S-EPMC11601212biostudies-literatureUnknown10(48)Muscle development and diversity require a large number of spatially and temporally regulated events controlled by transcription factors (TFs). <i>Drosophila</i> has long stood as a model to study myogenesis due to the highly conserved key TFs involved at all stages of muscle development. While many studies focused on the diversification of <i>Drosophila</i> larval musculature, how distinct adult muscle types are generated is much less characterized. Here, we identify an essential regulator of <i>Drosophila</i> thoracic flight muscle development, the Hox TF Antennapedia (Antp). Correcting a long-standing belief that flight muscle development occurs without the input of Hox TFs, we show that Antp intervenes at several stages of flight muscle development, from the establishment of the progenScience advancesThe Hox protein Antennapedia orchestrates &lt;i&gt;Drosophila&lt;/i&gt; adult flight muscle development.PMC11601212P40 OD010949Caruso NBrouilly NAouane AMaurel-Zaffran CSaurin AJGraba YPoliacikova GfalseThe Hox protein Antennapedia orchestrates &lt;i&gt;Drosophila&lt;/i&gt; adult flight muscle development.Muscle development and diversity require a large number of spatially and temporally regulated events controlled by transcription factors (TFs). <i>Drosophila</i> has long stood as a model to study myogenesis due to the highly conserved key TFs involved at all stages of muscle development. While many studies focused on the diversification of <i>Drosophila</i> larval musculature, how distinct adult muscle types are generated is much less characterized. Here, we identify an essential regulator of <i>Drosophila</i> thoracic flight muscle development, the Hox TF Antennapedia (Antp). Correcting a long-standing belief that flight muscle development occurs without the input of Hox TFs, we show that Antp intervenes at several stages of flight muscle development, from the establishment of the progen2024-01-01T00:00:00Z2024 Nov2025-04-19T17:35:07.835Z2025-04-19T17:35:07.835ZS-EPMC116012123960253710.1126/sciadv.adr2261