Dual mode of embryonic development is highlighted by expression and function of Nasonia pair-rule genes

Embryonic anterior-posterior patterning is well understood in Drosophila, which uses 'long germ' embryogenesis, in which all segments are patterned before cellularization. In contrast, most insects use 'short germ' embryogenesis, wherein only head and thorax are patterned in a sy...

Full description

Saved in:

Bibliographic Details
Published in:	eLife 2014-03, Vol.3, p.e01440-e01440
Main Authors:	Rosenberg, Miriam I, Brent, Ava E, Payre, Francois, Desplan, Claude
Format:	Article
Language:	eng
Subjects:	Animals Body Patterning Developmental Biology and Stem Cells Embryo, Nonmammalian - metabolism Embryonic Development embryonic patterning evolution Evolution, Molecular Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental Gene Regulatory Networks Genomics and Evolutionary Biology Insect Proteins - genetics Insect Proteins - metabolism Life Sciences Nasonia vitripennis pair-rule gene Phylogeny segmentation Tribolium Wasps - embryology Wasps - genetics Wasps - metabolism
Online Access:	Get full text
Tags:	Add Tag No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!

Description
Summary:	Embryonic anterior-posterior patterning is well understood in Drosophila, which uses 'long germ' embryogenesis, in which all segments are patterned before cellularization. In contrast, most insects use 'short germ' embryogenesis, wherein only head and thorax are patterned in a syncytial environment while the remainder of the embryo is generated after cellularization. We use the wasp Nasonia (Nv) to address how the transition from short to long germ embryogenesis occurred. Maternal and gap gene expression in Nasonia suggest long germ embryogenesis. However, the Nasonia pair-rule genes even-skipped, odd-skipped, runt and hairy are all expressed as early blastoderm pair-rule stripes and late-forming posterior stripes. Knockdown of Nv eve, odd or h causes loss of alternate segments at the anterior and complete loss of abdominal segments. We propose that Nasonia uses a mixed mode of segmentation wherein pair-rule genes pattern the embryo in a manner resembling Drosophila at the anterior and ancestral Tribolium at the posterior. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.01440.001.
ISSN:	2050-084X 2050-084X