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First published online January 23, 2009
doi: 10.1242/10.1242/dev.031195

Development 136, 605-614 (2009)
Published by The Company of Biologists 2009
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Formation of the bicoid morphogen gradient: an mRNA gradient dictates the protein gradient

Alexander Spirov1, Khalid Fahmy2,*, Martina Schneider2,{dagger}, Erich Frei3, Markus Noll3,{ddagger} and Stefan Baumgartner2,{ddagger}

1 Center for Developmental Genetics, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY 11794-5140, USA.
2 Department of Experimental Medical Sciences, Lund University, BMC B13, S-22184 Lund, Sweden.
3 Institut für Molekularbiologie, Universität Zürich, Winterthurerstrasse 190, CH-8057 Zürich, Switzerland.

{ddagger} Authors for correspondence (e-mails: markus.noll{at}molbio.uzh.ch; stefan.baumgartner{at}med.lu.se)

Accepted 25 November 2008

The Bicoid (Bcd) protein gradient is generally believed to be established in pre-blastoderm Drosophila embryos by the diffusion of Bcd protein after translation of maternal mRNA, which serves as a strictly localized source of Bcd at the anterior pole. However, we previously published evidence that the Bcd gradient is preceded by a bcd mRNA gradient. Here, we have revisited and extended this observation by showing that the bcd mRNA and Bcd protein gradient profiles are virtually identical at all times. This confirms our previous conclusion that the Bcd gradient is produced by a bcd mRNA gradient rather than by diffusion. Based on our observation that bcd mRNA colocalizes with Staufen (Stau), we propose that the bcd mRNA gradient forms by a novel mechanism involving quasi-random active transport of a Stau-bcd mRNA complex through a nonpolar microtubular network, which confines the bcd mRNA to the cortex of the embryo.

Key words: bicoid, Morphogenetic gradient, Staufen, ARTS model


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Bicoid gradient: starting with mRNA?

Development 2009 136: e403. [Full Text]  





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