PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - Boube, Muriel
AU  - Benassayag, Corinne
AU  - Seroude, Laurent
AU  - Cribbs, David L.
TI  - Ras1-Mediated Modulation of Drosophila Homeotic Function in Cell and Segment Identity
DP  - 1997 Jun 01
TA  - Genetics
PG  - 619--628
VI  - 146
IP  - 2
4099  - http://www.genetics.org/content/146/2/619.short
4100  - http://www.genetics.org/content/146/2/619.full
SO  - Genetics1997 Jun 01; 146
AB  - Mutations of the Drosophila homeotic proboscipedia gene (pb; the Hox-A2/B2 homologue) provoke dose-sensitive defects. These were used to search for dose-sensitive dominant modifiers of pb function. Two identified interacting genes were the proto-oncogene Ras1 and its functional antagonist Gap1, prominent intermediaries in known signal transduction pathways. Ras1+ is a positive modifier of pb activity both in normal and ectopic cell contexts, while the Ras1-antagonist Gap1 has an opposite effect. A general role for Ras1 in homeotic function is likely, since Ras1+ activity also modulates functions of the homeotic loci Sex combs reduced and Ultrabithorax. Our data suggest that the modulation occurs by a mechanism independent of transcriptional control of the homeotic loci themselves, or of the Ras1/Gap1 genes. Taken together our data support a role for Ras1-mediated cell signaling in the homeotic control of segmental differentiation.