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Development, Vol 113, Issue 2 715-722, Copyright © 1991 by Company of Biologists
JOURNAL ARTICLES |
M Torres and L Sanchez
Centre de Investigaciones Biologicas, Madrid, Spain.
The gene scute (sc) has a dual function: the scute function which is involved in neurogenesis and the sisterless-b function which is involved in generating the X:A signal that determines the state of activity of Sxl, a gene that controls sex determination and dosage compensation. We show here that the lethal phase of sc- females is embryonic and caused by the lack of Sxl function. We also analyze the time in development when sc and Sxl interact by means of (a) determining the thermosensitive phase (TSP) of the interaction between Sxl and sc and (b) a chimeric gene in which sc is under the control of a heat-shock promoter (HSSC-3). Pulses of sc expression from the HSSC-3 activate Sxl only at a very specific and early stage in development, which coincides with the TSP of the interaction between sc and Sxl. It corresponds to the syncytial blastoderm stage and coincides with the time when the X:A signal regulates Sxl. At this stage sc undergoes a homogeneous transient expression in wild-type flies. We conclude that the sc expression at the syncytial blastoderm is responsible for its sisterless-b function. Since sc expression from the HSSC-3 fully suppresses the sisterless-b phenotype, we further conclude that the sisterless-b function is exclusively provided by the sc protein. Finally, we have analyzed, by in situ hybridization, the effect of sc and sis-a mutations on the embryonic transcription of Sxl. Our results support the view that the control of Sxl by the X:A signal occurs at the transcriptional level.
This article has been cited by other articles:
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  E. Serna, E. Gorab, M. F. Ruiz, C. Goday, J. M. Eirin-Lopez, and L. Sanchez The Gene Sex-lethal of the Sciaridae Family (Order Diptera, Suborder Nematocera) and Its Phylogeny in Dipteran Insects Genetics, October 1, 2004; 168(2): 907 - 921. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
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L. A. Wrischnik, J. R. Timmer, L. A. Megna, and T. W. Cline Recruitment of the Proneural Gene scute to the Drosophila Sex-Determination Pathway Genetics, December 1, 2003; 165(4): 2007 - 2027. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
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M. Louis, L. Holm, L. Sanchez, and M. Kaufman A Theoretical Model for the Regulation of Sex-lethal, a Gene That Controls Sex Determination and Dosage Compensation in Drosophila melanogaster Genetics, November 1, 2003; 165(3): 1355 - 1384. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
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 L. O. F. Penalva and L. Sanchez RNA Binding Protein Sex-Lethal (Sxl) and Control of Drosophila Sex Determination and Dosage Compensation Microbiol. Mol. Biol. Rev., September 1, 2003; 67(3): 343 - 359. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
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J. J. Walker, K. K. Lee, R. N. Desai, and J. W. Erickson The Drosophila melanogaster Sex Determination Gene sisA Is Required in Yolk Nuclei for Midgut Formation Genetics, May 1, 2000; 155(1): 191 - 202. [Abstract] [Full Text]
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 S. Parkhurst and P. Meneely Sex determination and dosage compensation: lessons from flies and worms Science, May 13, 1994; 264(5161): 924 - 932. [Abstract] [PDF]
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 J W Erickson and T W Cline A bZIP protein, sisterless-a, collaborates with bHLH transcription factors early in Drosophila development to determine sex. Genes & Dev., September 1, 1993; 7(9): 1688 - 1702. [Abstract] [PDF]
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 B Granadino, P Santamaria, and L Sanchez Sex determination in the germ line of Drosophila melanogaster: activation of the gene Sex-lethal Development, January 7, 1993; 118(3): 813 - 816. [Abstract] [PDF]
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S. Parkhurst, H. Lipshitz, and D Ish-Horowicz achaete-scute feminizing activities and Drosophila sex determination Development, January 2, 1993; 117(2): 737 - 749. [Abstract] [PDF]
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M Steinmann-Zwicky Sex determination in Drosophila: sis-b, a major numerator element of the X:A ratio in the soma, does not contribute to the X:A ratio in the germ line Development, January 2, 1993; 117(2): 763 - 767. [Abstract] [PDF]
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