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. 1993 Sep;13(9):5898–5906. doi: 10.1128/mcb.13.9.5898

Elements controlling follicular expression of the s36 chorion gene during Drosophila oogenesis.

P P Tolias 1, M Konsolaki 1, M S Halfon 1, N D Stroumbakis 1, F C Kafatos 1
PMCID: PMC360338  PMID: 8355717

Abstract

An 84-bp proximal regulatory protein (PRR) of the Drosophila melanogaster s36 chorion gene is sufficient for directing proper temporal and spatial expression of a reporter gene in three domains of the follicle: anterior, posterior, and main body. Here we show that the fidelity of PRR-directed s36 expression is dependent on the proper dorsal-ventral differentiation of the follicular epithelium, which requires the Drosophila epidermal growth factor receptor homolog. Transgenic analysis of site-directed mutants of the PRR suggests that s36 expression is regulated by the concerted action of multiple positive activators. Several cis-acting transcriptional elements have been identified: some appear to function in a quantitative manner, while others either are essential or appear to regulate expression in particular spatial domains. The approximate locations of these regulatory elements have been defined; some map within sequences that are strongly conserved in widely divergent dipteran species. In fact, the PRR analog of the medfly Ceratitis capitata Ccs36 gene directs expression in a manner similar to the D. melanogaster s36 PRR. We propose a model for transcriptional regulation of s36 based on the prechoriogenic polarization of the follicular epithelium that surrounds the developing egg chamber.

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Selected References

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