Drosophila-Raf Acts to Elaborate Dorsoventral Pattern in the Ectoderm of Developing Embryos

Corresponding author: Linda Ambrosio, 3264 Molecular Biology Bldg., Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011., lima{at}iastate.edu (E-mail)

Communicating editor: T. SCHÜPBACH

In the early Drosophila embryo the activity of the EGF-receptor (Egfr) is required to instruct cells to adopt a ventral neuroectodermal fate. Using a gain-of-function mutation we showed that D-raf acts to transmit this and other late-acting embryonic Egfr signals. A novel role for D-raf was also identified in lateral cell development using partial loss-of-function D-raf mutations. Thus, we provide evidence that zygotic D-raf acts to specify cell fates in two distinct pathways that generate dorsoventral pattern within the ectoderm. These functional requirements for D-raf activity occur subsequent to its maternal role in organizing the anterioposterior axis. The consequences of eliminating key D-raf regulatory domains and specific serine residues in the transmission of Egfr and lateral epidermal signals were also addressed here.

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