- THIS ARTICLE
- Full Text
- Full Text (PDF)
-
All Versions of this Article:
genetics.105.041749v1
genetics.105.041749v2
170/4/1747 most recent - Alert me when this article is cited
- Alert me if a correction is posted
- SERVICES
- Similar articles in this journal
- Similar articles in PubMed
- Alert me to new issues of the journal
- Download to citation manager
- Reprints & Permissions
- CITING ARTICLES
- Citing Articles via HighWire
- Citing Articles via Google Scholar
- GOOGLE SCHOLAR
- Articles by Baker, P. W.
- Articles by Cripps, R. M.
- Search for Related Content
- PUBMED
- PubMed Citation
- Articles by Baker, P. W.
- Articles by Cripps, R. M.
Originally published as Genetics Published Articles Ahead of Print on June 14, 2005.
Genetics, Vol. 170, 1747-1759, August 2005, Copyright © 2005
doi:10.1534/genetics.105.041749
Adult Myogenesis in Drosophila melanogaster Can Proceed Independently of Myocyte Enhancer Factor-2
Phillip W. Baker, Kathleen K. Kelly Tanaka1, Niels Klitgord and Richard M. Cripps2
Department of Biology, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87131-1091
2 Corresponding author: Department of Biology, University of New Mexico, Castetter Hall, Room 247, Albuquerque, NM 87131-1091.
E-mail: rcripps{at}unm.edu
Myocyte enhancer factor-2 (MEF2) is a transcription factor that is necessary for embryonic muscle development in Drosophila and vertebrates; however, whether this factor is required during later muscle development remains largely unknown. Using heteroallelic combinations of different Mef2 mutant alleles, we isolated and characterized a temperature-sensitive combination. Through temperature-shift experiments, we obtained adult animals that were lacking proper MEF2 function. Many of these individuals died as mature pupae, and those that eclosed showed poor locomotion and an inability to fly. Histological analysis of these animals revealed a requirement for MEF2 in skeletal muscle patterning, although these animals had strikingly normal amounts of muscle tissue. Using quantitative polymerase chain reaction, we determined that expression of the MEF2-regulated actin gene Act57B was severely reduced in these animals. By contrast myofibrillar actin genes unique to the adult stage were only mildly affected. Since MEF2 mutant adults were still capable of forming muscle tissue, we conclude that MEF2 is required for the expression of only a subset of muscle structural genes in the adult. These results indicate that additional muscle-specific factors function to control the myogenesis of complex and diverse muscle in the adult.
This article has been cited by other articles:
 |
|
 |
|
  Y. Hinits and S. M. Hughes Mef2s are required for thick filament formation in nascent muscle fibres Development, July 1, 2007; 134(13): 2511 - 2519. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|