Abstract:
Hox genes are a group of genes that control the body plan of an organism along anterior
posterior axis. Hox genes function as master control genes and they regulate the
expression of downstream target genes. While insects such as Apis mellifera and Bombyx
mori possess two pairs of wings, Drosophila has its hind wing modified into haltere.
Ultrabithorax is a Hox family gene that functions to specify third thoracic segment in
insects. In Drosophila, it suppresses the development of wing in T3 to specify the
formation of haltere. Hedgehog (hh) and vestigial (vg) are targets of Ubx that are common
to all the three species and are very important genes in the context of wing patterning and
development. In this context, we investigate if the functions of hh and vg are conserved
across the three insects and how proteins evolve independent of their functions. Quadrant
enhancer of vg has been identified as a target of Ubx. Vg quadrant enhancer from Apis
showed identical expression pattern between wing and haltere unlike its fly counterpart.
Here, we investigate if quadrant enhancer of vg in Bombyx (which is also a target of Ubx)
is differentially expressed or not. We test this hypothesis by generating transgenic
Drosophila expressing GFP under the control of enhancer of vestigial from Bombyx. The
construct is currently being tested for its expression. Also we made an attempt to make
transgenic flies expressing hh and vg from Apis and Bombyx but could not succeed.
