Left–right asymmetry in Drosophila

Seminal studies of left–right (L/R) patterning in vertebrate models have led to the discovery of roles for the nodal pathway, ion flows and cilia in this process. Although the molecular mechanisms underlying L/R asymmetries seen in protostomes are less well understood, recent work using Drosophila m...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published in:Seminars in cell & developmental biology 2008-06, Vol.19 (3), p.252-262
Main Authors: Coutelis, J.B., Petzoldt, A.G., Spéder, P., Suzanne, M., Noselli, S.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Animals
Biomarkers - metabolism
Body Patterning
Development Biology
Drosophila
Drosophila melanogaster
Drosophila melanogaster - embryology
Genitalia
Gut
Left–right asymmetry
Life Sciences
Mutation - genetics
Myosin I
Citations: Items that this one cites
Items that cite this one
Online Access:Get full text
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:Seminal studies of left–right (L/R) patterning in vertebrate models have led to the discovery of roles for the nodal pathway, ion flows and cilia in this process. Although the molecular mechanisms underlying L/R asymmetries seen in protostomes are less well understood, recent work using Drosophila melanogaster as a novel genetic model system to study this process has identified a number of mutations affecting directional organ looping. The genetic analysis of this, the most evolutionary conserved feature of L/R patterning, revealed the existence of a L/R pathway that involves the actin cytoskeleton and an associated type I myosin. In this review, we describe this work in the context of Drosophila development, and discuss the implications of these results for our understanding of L/R patterning in general.
ISSN:1084-9521
1096-3634
DOI:10.1016/j.semcdb.2008.01.006