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

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Author

  • Alexander Spirov
  • Khalid Fahmy
  • Martina Schneider
  • Erich Frei
  • Markus Noll
  • Stefan Baumgartner

Summary, in English

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.

Department/s

  • Invertebrate Developmental Biology, Stefan Baumgartner's group

Publishing year

2009

Language

English

Pages

605-614

Publication/Series

Development: For advances in developmental biology and stem cells

Volume

136

Issue

4

Document type

Journal article

Publisher

The Company of Biologists Ltd

Topic

  • Developmental Biology

Keywords

  • Morphogenetic gradient
  • Staufen
  • bicoid
  • ARTS model

Status

Published

Project

  • Formation of the bicoid gradient in Drosophila

Research group

  • Invertebrate Developmental Biology, Stefan Baumgartner's group

ISBN/ISSN/Other

  • ISSN: 1477-9129