Skip to main content

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript.

  • Letter
  • Published:

A transcript from a Drosophila pattern gene predicts a protein homologous to the transforming growth factor-β family

Nature volume 325, pages 81–84 (1987)Cite this article

Abstract

The decapentaplegic gene complex (DPP-C) has been implicated in several events in pattern formation during Drosophila development1–3. During embryogenesis, the DPP-C participates in the establishment of dorsal-ventral specification. Later, it is required for the correct morphogenesis of the imaginal disks, which will form much of the adult epidermis. We have undertaken a molecular analysis of the DPP-C to determine what role it plays in positional information. It appears to be a large genetic unit (>40 kilobases (kb)) consisting mostly of cis-regulatory information controlling the expression of a set of overlapping transcripts that differ at their 5' ends, but share the bulk of their transcribed sequences. Here, we describe the sequence analysis of two complementary DNAs comprising 4.0 kb of a 4.5-kb transcript. The C-terminus of the protein thereby deduced exhibits strong sequence homology (25–38% amino-acid identity) to the C-termini of a class of mammalian proteins that includes transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β)4,5, inhibin6–9 and Müllerian inhibiting substance (MIS)10,11. These proteins act on target cells to produce a variety of responses, such as stimulation or inhibition of cell division or differentiation. The homology suggests that the DPP-C protein contributes to correct morphogenesis as a secreted factor involved in the differential regulation of cell growth. This is the first report of a member of the TGF-β gene family in a non-mammalian organism, and indicates that one or more members of this gene family existed before arthropod and vertebrate lineages diverged.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution

Access options

Buy this article

  • Purchase on Springer Link
  • Instant access to full article PDF
Buy now

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Spencer, F. A., Hoffman, F. M. & Gelbart, W. M. Cell 28, 451–461 (1982).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  2. Segal, D. & Gelbart, W. M. Genetics 109, 119–143 (1985).

    CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  3. Gelbart, W. M. et al. Cold Spring Harb. Symp. quant. biol. 50, 119–125 (1985).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. Derynck, R. et al. Nature 316, 701–705 (1985).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. Derynck, R., Jarrett, J. A., Chen, E. Y. & Goeddel, D. V. J. biol. Chem. 261, 4377–4379 (1986).

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  6. Mason, A. J. et al. Nature 318, 659–663 (1985).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. Forage, R. G. et al. Proc. natn. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 83, 3091–3095 (1986).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. Vale, W. et al. Nature 321, 776–779 (1986).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. Ling, N. et al. Nature 321, 779–782 (1986).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. Cate, R. L. et al. Cell 45, 685–698 (1986).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  11. Budzik, G. P., Powell, S. M., Kamagata, S. & Donahoe, P. K. Cell 34, 307–314 (1983).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  12. Poole, S., Kauvar, L. M., Drees, C. & Komberg, T. Cell 40, 37–43 (1985).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  13. Kozak, M. Nucleic Acids Res. 12, 857–872 (1984).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  14. Pustell, J. DNA sequence analysis programs marketed by International Biotechnologies, Inc., New Haven, Connecticut (1986).

  15. Periman, D. & Halvorson, H. O. J. molec. Biol. 167, 391–409 (1983).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  16. Watson, M. E. E. Nucleic Acids Res. 12, 5145–5164 (1984).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  17. Lipman, D. J. & Pearson, W. R. Science 227, 1435–1441 (1985).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  18. Schneuwly, S., Kuroiwa, A., Baumgartner, P. & Gehring, W. EMBO J. 5, 733–739 (1986).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  19. Laughon, A. & Scott, M. P. Nature 310, 25–31 (1984).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  20. Wharton, K. A., Johansen, K. M., Xu, T. & Artavanis-Tsakonas, S. Cell 43, 567–581 (1985).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  21. McGinnis, W., Levine, M. S., Hafen, E., Kuroiwa & Gehring, W. J. Nature 308, 428–433 (1984).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  22. Scott, M. P. & Weiner, A. J. Proc. natn. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 81, 4115–4119 (1984).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  23. Miller, J., McLachlan, A. D. & Klug, A. EMBO J. 4, 1609–1614 (1985).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  24. Rosenberg, U. B. et al. Nature 319, 336–339 (1986).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  25. Vincent, A., O'Connell, P., Gray, M. R. & Rosbash, M. EMBO J. 3, 1003–1013 (1984).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  26. Vincent, A., Colot, H. V. & Rosbash, M. J. molec. Biol. 186, 149–166 (1985).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  27. Sporn, M. B., Roberts, A. B., Wakefield, L. M. & Assoian, R. K. Science 233, 532–534 (1986).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  28. Spencer, F. A. Ph.D. thesis, Harvard Univ. (1984).

  29. Roberts, A. B. et al. Proc. natn. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 82, 119–123 (1985).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  30. Masui, T. et al. Proc. natn. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 83, 2438–2442 (1986).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  31. Lawrence, D. A. Biol. Cell 53, 93–98 (1985).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  32. Proudfoot, N. J. & Brownlee, G. G. Nature 263, 211–214 (1976).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  33. Wagh, P. V. & Bahl, O. P. CRC crit. Rev. Biochem. 10, 307–377 (1981).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  34. Bankier, A. T. & Barrell, B. G. in Techniques in Nucleic Acid Biochemistry B5 (ed. Flavell, R. A.) 1–34 (Elsevier, Limerick, 1983).

    Google Scholar 

  35. Dretzen, G., Bellard, M., Sassone-Corci, P. & Chambon, P. Analyt. Biochem. 112, 295–298 (1981).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  36. Biggin, M. D., Gibson, T. J. & Hong, G. F. Proc. natn. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 80, 3963–3965 (1983).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  37. Hutchison, III C. A. Nucleic Acids Res. 14, 1917 (1986).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  38. Staden, R. Nucleic Acids Res. 10, 4731–4751 (1982).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  39. Staden, R. Nucleic Acids Res. 12, 499–503 (1984).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  40. Mills, D. R. & Kramer, F. R. Proc. natn. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 76, 2232–2235 (1979).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  41. Noda, M. et al. Nature 295, 202–206 (1982).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  42. Amara, S. G., Jonas, V. & Rpsenfeld, M. G., Ong, E. S. & Evans, R. M. Nature 298, 240–244 (1982).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Cellular and Developmental Biology, Harvard University, 16 Divinity Avenue, Cambridge, Massachusetts, 02138, USA

    Richard W. Padgett, R. Daniel St. Johnston & William M. Gelbart

Authors
  1. Richard W. Padgett
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. R. Daniel St. Johnston
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. William M. Gelbart
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Padgett, R., St. Johnston, R. & Gelbart, W. A transcript from a Drosophila pattern gene predicts a protein homologous to the transforming growth factor-β family. Nature 325, 81–84 (1987). https://doi.org/10.1038/325081a0

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/325081a0

This article is cited by

Comments

By submitting a comment you agree to abide by our Terms and Community Guidelines. If you find something abusive or that does not comply with our terms or guidelines please flag it as inappropriate.

Search

Advanced search

Quick links

Nature Briefing

Sign up for the Nature Briefing newsletter — what matters in science, free to your inbox daily.

Get the most important science stories of the day, free in your inbox. Sign up for Nature Briefing