Quantitative developmental genetic analysis reveals that the ancestral dipteran wing vein prepattern is conserved in Drosophila melanogaster

A. Palsson, G. Gibson*

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

30 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Quantitative complementation tests provide a quick test of the hypothesis that a particular gene contributes to segregating phenotypic variation. A set of wild-type alleles is assayed for variation in their ability to complement the degree of dominance of the quantitative effect of a loss of function allele. Analysis of 15 loci known to be involved in wing patterning in Drosophila melanogaster suggests that the genes decapentaplegic, thickveins, EGFR, argos and hedgehog, each of which are involved in secreted growth factor signaling, may contribute to wing shape variation. The phenotype of one deficiency, Df(2R)Px2, which removes blistered/Plexate, is also highly sensitive to the wild-type genetic background and at intermediate expressivity reveals six ectopic veins. These form in the same locations as a projection of the ancestral pattern of dipteran wing veins on to the D. melanogaster wing. This atavistic phenotype indicates that the wing vein prepatterning mechanism can be conserved in highly derived species, and implies that homoplasic venation patterns may be produced by derepression of vein primordia.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)617-622
Number of pages6
JournalDevelopment Genes and Evolution
Volume210
Issue number12
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2000

Bibliographical note

Funding Information:
Acknowledgements We thank Trudy Mackay for introducing us to the quantitative complementation testing method, and Hugo Bellen, Trudi Schupbach and the Bloomington Stock Center for supplying fly stocks. This work was supported by a Fellowship from the David and Lucille Packard Foundation to G.G.

Other keywords

  • Atavistic
  • EGFR
  • Quantitative complementation test
  • Relative warp analysis
  • TGF-β

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