The maternal nudel protein of Drosophila has two distinct roles important for embryogenesis.

摘要: The nudel gene is maternally required to define dorsoventral polarity of the Drosophila embryo. It encodes an unusual mosaic protein with a protease domain that may trigger cascade for ventral development. We describe phenotypic and molecular analyses mutations provide further insight into function. Surprisingly, primarily cause either dorsalized embryos in which dorsal cell fates are expanded over lateral or fragile eggs fail develop beyond early embryonic stages. therefore not only but also structural integrity egg. Complementation antagonistic interactions between alleles suggest functionally modular protein-protein important Three produce map nudel, suggesting this specifically defining polarity. Finally, certain combinations simultaneously completely normal yet very few intermediate mutant phenotypes. biphasic distribution phenotypes indicate activity above threshold generate