The Drosophila developmental gene snail encodes a protein with nucleic acid binding fingers

摘要: Pattern formation in the Drosophila embryo requires concerted expression of maternal and zygotic genes. At least nineteen genes, twelve which are maternally expressed, involved establishment dorsal–ventral polarity1—4. Mutations any one these genes result distinct alterations cell fates an abnormal pattern1. Mutants 'dorsal group', eleven have a common recessive phenotype similar to that described for dorsal, cells located at ventral lateral positions assume dorsal structures fail develop. Thus group gene products may be gradient positional information along axis1,3. We cloned snail (sna), gene, whose is essential correct specification pattern. In this report, we present evidence complementary DNA-deduced protein product sna contains five copies nucleic acid-binding finger motif previously identified two transcription factors5,6, several putative regulatory genes7—11.