Abstract
THE vitamin A derivative, retinoic acid, can regulate morpho-genesis and differentiation in vertebrates1,2. Two different sub-families of the steroid receptor superfamily of transcription factors, the retinoic acid receptors and the retinoid X receptor, mediate the effects of retinoic acid3–6. As part of an analysis of the hormonal control of development, we have examined the Drosophila genome for retinoic acid receptor homologues7. Here we describe one such gene, XR2C, which encodes a product with structural similarity to the human retinoic acid-responsive tran-scription factor, retinoid X receptor. This receptor-like protein is encoded by ultraspiracle (usp), a locus required both maternally and zygotically for pattern formation. The discovery that the usp product is a retinoid X receptor homologue suggests that similar chemical cues underlie morphogenic signalling in vertebrate and invertebrate systems.
This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution
Access options
Subscribe to this journal
Receive 51 print issues and online access
$199.00 per year
only $3.90 per issue
Buy this article
- Purchase on Springer Link
- Instant access to full article PDF
Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Spom, M. B. & Roberts, A. B. in The Retinoids Vol. 1 (eds Spotn, M. B., Roberts, A. B. & Goodman, D. S.) 235–279 (Academic, Orlando, 1984).
Brockes, J. T. Neuron 2, 1285–1294 (1989).
Evans, R. M. Science 240, 889–895 (1988).
Giguere, V., Ong, E. S., Segui, P. & Evans, R. M. Nature 330, 624–629 (1987).
Petkovich, M. et al. Nature 330, 444–450 (1988).
Mangelsdorf, D. J., Ong, E. S., Dyck, J. A. & Evans, R. M. Nature 345, 224–229 (1990).
Oro, A. E., Umesono, K. & Evans, R. M. Development 107 (Suppl), 133–140 (1989).
Oro, A. E. et al. Nature 336, 493–496 (1988).
Dura, J. M. et al. Cell 51, 829–839 (1987).
Perrimon, N., Engstrom, L. & Mahowald, A. P. Genetics 111, 23–41 (1985).
Lindsley, D. & Zimm, G. Drosophila Information Service 64, 8–9 (1986).
Evans, R. M. & Arriza, J. L. Neuron 2, 1105–1112 (1989).
Sang, J. H. in The Genetics and Biology of Drosophila Vol. 2A (eds Ashburner, M. & Wright, T. R. F.) 159–192 (Academic, London, 1978).
Lindsley, D. & Grell, E. H. Genetic Variations of Drosophila melanogaster (Carnegie Institute of Washington, 1967).
Steller, H. & Pirrotta, V. EMBO J. 4, 167–171 (1985).
Boggs, R. T., Gregor, P., Idriss, S., Belote, J. M. & McKeown, M. Cell 50, 739–747 (1987).
Lefevre, G. Genetics 99, 461–480 (1981).
Ashburner, M. (ed.) Drosophila, A Laboratory Manual (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, New York, 1989).
Arriza, J. et al. Science 237, 268–275 (1987).
Cavener, D. R. Nucleic Acids Res. 15, 1353–1361 (1987).
Devereux, J., Haeberli, P. & Smithies, O. Nucleic Acids Res. 12, 387–395 (1984).
Gribskov, M. & Burgess, R. R. Nucleic Acids Res. 14, 6745–6763 (1986).
Ausubel, F. et al. (eds) Current Protocols in Molecular Biology (Greene Publishing Associates and Wiley Interscience, New York, 1987).
Segraves, W. A. & Hogness, D. S. Genes Dev. 4, 204–219 (1990).
Hollenberg, S. M. et al. Nature 318, 635–641 (1985).
O'Connell, P. & Rosbash, M. Nucleic Acids Res. 12, 5495–5513 (1984).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Oro, A., McKeown, M. & Evans, R. Relationship between the product of the Drosophila ultraspiracle locus and the vertebrate retinoid X receptor. Nature 347, 298–301 (1990). https://doi.org/10.1038/347298a0
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/347298a0
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.