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Formation of the bicoid morphogen gradient: an mRNA gradient dictates the protein gradient

Spirov, Alexander ; Fahmy, Khalid LU ; Schneider, Martina LU ; Frei, Erich ; Noll, Markus and Baumgartner, Stefan LU orcid (2009) In Development: For advances in developmental biology and stem cells 136(4). p.605-614
Abstract
The Bicoid (Bcd) protein gradient is generally believed to be established in pre-blastoderm Drosophila embryos by the diffusion of Bcd protein after translation of maternal mRNA, which serves as a strictly localized source of Bcd at the anterior pole. However, we previously published evidence that the Bcd gradient is preceded by a bcd mRNA gradient. Here, we have revisited and extended this observation by showing that the bcd mRNA and Bcd protein gradient profiles are virtually identical at all times. This confirms our previous conclusion that the Bcd gradient is produced by a bcd mRNA gradient rather than by diffusion. Based on our observation that bcd mRNA colocalizes with Staufen ( Stau), we propose that the bcd mRNA gradient forms by a... (More)
The Bicoid (Bcd) protein gradient is generally believed to be established in pre-blastoderm Drosophila embryos by the diffusion of Bcd protein after translation of maternal mRNA, which serves as a strictly localized source of Bcd at the anterior pole. However, we previously published evidence that the Bcd gradient is preceded by a bcd mRNA gradient. Here, we have revisited and extended this observation by showing that the bcd mRNA and Bcd protein gradient profiles are virtually identical at all times. This confirms our previous conclusion that the Bcd gradient is produced by a bcd mRNA gradient rather than by diffusion. Based on our observation that bcd mRNA colocalizes with Staufen ( Stau), we propose that the bcd mRNA gradient forms by a novel mechanism involving quasi-random active transport of a Stau-bcd mRNA complex through a nonpolar microtubular network, which confines the bcd mRNA to the cortex of the embryo. (Less)
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author
; ; ; ; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
Morphogenetic gradient, Staufen, bicoid, ARTS model
in
Development: For advances in developmental biology and stem cells
volume
136
issue
4
pages
605 - 614
publisher
The Company of Biologists Ltd
external identifiers
  • wos:000262692500010
  • scopus:64549083692
ISSN
1477-9129
DOI
10.1242/dev.031195
project
Formation of the bicoid gradient in Drosophila
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
9302c6d0-f555-455b-b6fa-7d9762eb1042 (old id 1312270)
date added to LUP
2016-04-01 11:54:14
date last changed
2022-03-28 17:22:53
@article{9302c6d0-f555-455b-b6fa-7d9762eb1042,
  abstract     = {{The Bicoid (Bcd) protein gradient is generally believed to be established in pre-blastoderm Drosophila embryos by the diffusion of Bcd protein after translation of maternal mRNA, which serves as a strictly localized source of Bcd at the anterior pole. However, we previously published evidence that the Bcd gradient is preceded by a bcd mRNA gradient. Here, we have revisited and extended this observation by showing that the bcd mRNA and Bcd protein gradient profiles are virtually identical at all times. This confirms our previous conclusion that the Bcd gradient is produced by a bcd mRNA gradient rather than by diffusion. Based on our observation that bcd mRNA colocalizes with Staufen ( Stau), we propose that the bcd mRNA gradient forms by a novel mechanism involving quasi-random active transport of a Stau-bcd mRNA complex through a nonpolar microtubular network, which confines the bcd mRNA to the cortex of the embryo.}},
  author       = {{Spirov, Alexander and Fahmy, Khalid and Schneider, Martina and Frei, Erich and Noll, Markus and Baumgartner, Stefan}},
  issn         = {{1477-9129}},
  keywords     = {{Morphogenetic gradient; Staufen; bicoid; ARTS model}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{4}},
  pages        = {{605--614}},
  publisher    = {{The Company of Biologists Ltd}},
  series       = {{Development: For advances in developmental biology and stem cells}},
  title        = {{Formation of the bicoid morphogen gradient: an mRNA gradient dictates the protein gradient}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1242/dev.031195}},
  doi          = {{10.1242/dev.031195}},
  volume       = {{136}},
  year         = {{2009}},
}