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First published online January 23, 2009

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Bicoid gradient: starting with mRNA?

The concentration gradient formed by Bicoid (Bcd), a transcription factor that patterns anterior Drosophila development, declines exponentially with distance from the anterior pole of the syncytial embryo, and is a standard paradigm for how a morphogen provides positional information. Now, Markus Noll, Stefan Baumgartner and colleagues challenge a widely accepted model - the SDD model - for the establishment of this gradient (see p. 605). The SDD model proposes that the gradient arises when Bcd is synthesised from a bcd mRNA source localised at the anterior pole; Bcd then diffuses away and is uniformly degraded. However, the authors convincingly show that, instead of bcd mRNA being localised anteriorly, a bcd mRNA gradient is formed and maintained during the syncytial stages, in agreement with publications predating the SDD model. Because Bicoid mRNA and protein patterns are similar to those of Staufen protein, which functions in mRNA localisation in oogenesis, the authors propose a gradient-formation model based on active mRNA transport, which awaits further experimental testing.

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Formation of the bicoid morphogen gradient: an mRNA gradient dictates the protein gradient

Alexander Spirov, Khalid Fahmy, Martina Schneider, Erich Frei, Markus Noll, and Stefan Baumgartner
Development 2009 136: 605-614. [Abstract] [Full Text]  

This Article Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Email this article to a friend Related articles in Development Similar articles in this journal Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Search for Related Content Social Bookmarking                         What's this?