Abstract
The functional replacement of one gene product by another one is a powerful method to study specificity in development and evolution. In Drosophila, the Gal4/UAS method has been used to analyze in vivo such functional substitutions. To this aim, Gal4 lines that inactivate a gene and reproduce its expression pattern are required, and they can be frequently obtained by replacing pre-existing P-lacZ lines with such characteristics. We have devised a new method to quickly identify replacements of P-lacZ lines by P-Gal4 lines, and applied it successfully to obtain Gal4 insertions in the Ultrabithorax and Abdominal-B Hox genes. We have used these lines to study the functional replacement of a Hox gene by another one. Our experiments confirm that the abdominal-A gene can replace Ultrabithorax in haltere development but that it cannot substitute for Abdominal-B in the formation of the genitalia.
Publication types
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Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
MeSH terms
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Animals
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Color
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DNA-Binding Proteins
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Drosophila Proteins / genetics
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Drosophila Proteins / metabolism
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Drosophila melanogaster / embryology
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Drosophila melanogaster / genetics*
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Drosophila melanogaster / growth & development
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Drosophila melanogaster / metabolism
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Embryo, Nonmammalian / embryology
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Embryo, Nonmammalian / metabolism
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Eye / growth & development
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Eye / metabolism
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Female
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Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental
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Genes, Insect / genetics*
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Genes, Reporter / genetics*
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Heterozygote
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Homeodomain Proteins / genetics
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Homeodomain Proteins / metabolism
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Lac Operon / genetics*
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Male
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Phenotype
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Pigmentation
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Saccharomyces cerevisiae Proteins / genetics*
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Transcription Factors / genetics*
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Transcription Factors / metabolism
Substances
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DNA-Binding Proteins
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Drosophila Proteins
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GAL4 protein, S cerevisiae
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Homeodomain Proteins
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Saccharomyces cerevisiae Proteins
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Transcription Factors
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Ubx protein, Drosophila