Abstract
The cut locus acts as a bimodal switch controlling cell fate in the peripheral nervous system of Drosophila and is also required for the development of the wing margin. It encodes a protein, Cut, that contains an atypical homeodomain and three copies of a new motif which can bind DNA in vitro. The human protein CDP and the murine protein Cux have recently been isolated as DNA-binding activities and they are structurally related to Cut. We show that ectopic expression of Cut, CDP, or Cux similarly affects embryonic sensory organ development and can rescue a wing scalloping mutant phenotype associated with loss of cut expression along the prospective wing margins. This suggests that the function of Cut is evolutionarily conserved.
Publication types
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Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
MeSH terms
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Animals
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Animals, Genetically Modified
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Drosophila / embryology*
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Female
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Gene Expression
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Homeodomain Proteins / genetics
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Homeodomain Proteins / physiology*
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Humans
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Larva
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Male
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Mammals
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Mice
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Mutation
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Neurons, Afferent
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Nuclear Proteins / genetics
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Nuclear Proteins / physiology*
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Peripheral Nervous System / embryology
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Peripheral Nervous System / growth & development
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Phenotype
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Recombinant Fusion Proteins
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Repressor Proteins / genetics
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Repressor Proteins / physiology*
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Temperature
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Transcription Factors
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Wings, Animal / growth & development
Substances
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CUX1 protein, human
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Cux1 protein, mouse
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Homeodomain Proteins
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Nuclear Proteins
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Recombinant Fusion Proteins
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Repressor Proteins
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Transcription Factors