Genetics, Vol. 159, 1643-1648, December 2001, Copyright © 2001

Interactions of the Tribolium Sex combs reduced and proboscipedia Orthologs in Embryonic Labial Development

Mark A. DeCamillisa,b,c, David L. Lewisc, Susan J. Browna, Richard W. Beemanb, and Robin E. Denella
a Division of Biology, Kansas State University, Manhattan, Kansas 66506,
b United States Grain Marketing Research Laboratory, United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Manhattan, Kansas 66502
c Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin 53706

Corresponding author: Robin E. Denell, Division of Biology, Ackert Hall, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS 66506-4901., rdenell{at}ksu.edu (E-mail)

Communicating editor: T. C. KAUFMAN

The role of Hox genes in the development of insect gnathal appendages has been examined in three insects: the fruitfly, Drosophila melanogaster; the milkweed bug, Oncopeltus fasciatus; and the red flour beetle, Tribolium castaneum. In each of these organisms, the identity of the labium depends on the homeotic genes Sex combs reduced (Scr) and proboscipedia (pb). Loss of pb function in each of the three insects results in homeotic transformation of the labial appendages to legs. In contrast, loss of Scr function yields a different transformation in each species. Interestingly, mutations in Cephalothorax (Cx), the Tribolium ortholog of Scr, transform the labial appendages to antennae, a result seen in the other insects only when both pb and Scr are removed. We show here that the Tribolium labial appendages also develop as antennae in double mutants. Further, we demonstrate that expression of the Tribolium proboscipedia ortholog maxillopedia (mxp) is greatly reduced or absent in the labium of Cx mutant larvae. Thus, in the wild-type labial segment, Cx function is required (directly or indirectly) for mxp transcription. A similar interaction between Scr and pb during Drosophila embryogenesis has been described recently. Thus, this regulatory paradigm appears to be conserved at least within the Holometabola.




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