Repository logo

Infoscience

  • English
  • French
Log In
Logo EPFL, École polytechnique fédérale de Lausanne

Infoscience

  • English
  • French
Log In
  1. Home
  2. Academic and Research Output
  3. Journal articles
  4. Whole-embryo modeling of early segmentation in Drosophila identifies robust and fragile expression domains
 
research article

Whole-embryo modeling of early segmentation in Drosophila identifies robust and fragile expression domains

Bieler, Jonathan  
•
Pozzorini, Christian
•
Naef, Felix  
2011
Biophysical Journal

Segmentation of the Drosophila melanogaster embryo results from the dynamic establishment of spatial mRNA and protein patterns. Here, we exploit recent temporal mRNA and protein expression measurements on the full surface of the blastoderm to calibrate a dynamical model of the gap gene network on the entire embryo cortex. We model the early mRNA and protein dynamics of the gap genes hunchback, Kruppel, giant, and knirps, taking as regulatory inputs the maternal Bicoid and Caudal gradients, plus the zygotic Tailless and Huckebein proteins. The model captures the expression patterns faithfully, and its predictions are assessed from gap gene mutants. The inferred network shows an architecture based on reciprocal repression between gap genes that can stably pattern the embryo on a realistic geometry but requires complex regulations such as those involving the Hunchback monomer and dimers. Sensitivity analysis identifies the posterior domain of giant as among the most fragile features of an otherwise robust network, and hints at redundant regulations by Bicoid and Hunchback, possibly reflecting recent evolutionary changes in the gap-gene network in insects.

  • Details
  • Metrics
Type
research article
DOI
10.1016/j.bpj.2011.05.060
Web of Science ID

WOS:000293158900008

Author(s)
Bieler, Jonathan  
•
Pozzorini, Christian
•
Naef, Felix  
Date Issued

2011

Published in
Biophysical Journal
Volume

101

Issue

2

Start page

287

End page

96

Subjects

Bicoid Morphogen Gradient

•

Gap Gene System

•

Transcriptional Control

•

Parameter-Estimation

•

Head Development

•

Messenger-Rna

•

Hunchback

•

Melanogaster

•

Repression

•

Kruppel

Editorial or Peer reviewed

REVIEWED

Written at

EPFL

EPFL units
UPNAE  
Available on Infoscience
October 28, 2011
Use this identifier to reference this record
https://infoscience.epfl.ch/handle/20.500.14299/72097
Logo EPFL, École polytechnique fédérale de Lausanne
  • Contact
  • infoscience@epfl.ch

  • Follow us on Facebook
  • Follow us on Instagram
  • Follow us on LinkedIn
  • Follow us on X
  • Follow us on Youtube
AccessibilityLegal noticePrivacy policyCookie settingsEnd User AgreementGet helpFeedback

Infoscience is a service managed and provided by the Library and IT Services of EPFL. © EPFL, tous droits réservés