Abstract
A widely appreciated aspect of developmental robustness is pattern formation in proportion to size. But how such scaling features emerge dynamically remains poorly understood. Here we generate a data set of the expression profiles of six gap genes in Drosophila melanogaster embryos that differ significantly in size. Expression patterns exhibit size-dependent dynamics both spatially and temporally. We uncover a dynamic emergence of under-scaling in the posterior, accompanied by reduced expression levels of gap genes near the middle of large embryos. Simulation results show that a size-dependent Bicoid gradient input can lead to reduced Krüppel expression that can have long-range and dynamic effects on gap gene expression in the posterior. Thus, for emergence of scaled patterns, the entire embryo may be viewed as a single unified dynamic system where maternally derived size-dependent information interpreted locally can be propagated in space and time as governed by the dynamics of a gene regulatory network.
Publication types
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Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
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Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.
MeSH terms
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Animals
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DNA-Binding Proteins / genetics
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DNA-Binding Proteins / metabolism
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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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Gene Expression Profiling
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Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental*
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Gene Regulatory Networks / genetics*
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Homeodomain Proteins / genetics
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Homeodomain Proteins / metabolism
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In Situ Hybridization, Fluorescence
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Kruppel-Like Transcription Factors / genetics
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Kruppel-Like Transcription Factors / metabolism
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Molecular Dynamics Simulation
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RNA, Messenger / metabolism*
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Repressor Proteins / genetics
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Repressor Proteins / metabolism
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Spatio-Temporal Analysis
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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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Homeodomain Proteins
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Kr protein, Drosophila
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Kruppel-Like Transcription Factors
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RNA, Messenger
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Repressor Proteins
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TLL protein, Drosophila
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Transcription Factors
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gt protein, Drosophila
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hb protein, Drosophila
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kni protein, Drosophila
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oc protein, Drosophila