The sex determination master switch, Sex-lethal, responds to Hedgehog signaling in the Drosophila germline

• Published in: Development (Cambridge) Vol. 128; no. 14; pp. 2649 - 2660
• Main Authors: Vied, C, Horabin, J I
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England The Company of Biologists Limited 01-07-2001
• Subjects: Animals; Cell Survival; Costal-2 protein; Cubitus interruptus protein; Cyclic AMP-Dependent Protein Kinases - metabolism; Cytoplasm - metabolism; Drosophila melanogaster; Drosophila melanogaster - genetics; Drosophila melanogaster - metabolism; Drosophila Proteins; Female; Fused protein; Gene Expression; Germ Cells; Hedgehog protein; Hedgehog Proteins; Insect Proteins - genetics; Insect Proteins - metabolism; Kinesins - genetics; Membrane Proteins - genetics; Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases - genetics; Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases - metabolism; Receptors, Cell Surface - genetics; Receptors, Cell Surface - metabolism; Receptors, G-Protein-Coupled; Repressor Proteins - metabolism; RNA-Binding Proteins - genetics; RNA-Binding Proteins - metabolism; Sex Determination Processes; sex-lethal protein; Signal Transduction; Smoothened Receptor; Tubulin - genetics
• ISSN: 0950-1991; 1477-9129
• DOI: 10.1242/dev.128.14.2649

Sex-lethal is the Drosophila melanogaster sex determination master switch. It is also required in female germ cells to control mitosis and meiotic recombination. As early germ cells mature, distinct changes in both Sex-lethal protein levels and localization occur. By manipulating the levels of Hedgehog and making germline clones of components in the hedgehog signaling pathway, we demonstrate that Hedgehog affects the nuclear translocation of Sex-lethal and the levels of the protein in early germ cells. This effect is mediated primarily through degradation. Consistent with the Hedgehog pathway regulating Sex-lethal, we find Sex-lethal in a complex with Fused and Costal-2, both downstream components of the pathway. This is the first demonstration that downstream components of the Hedgehog signaling pathway regulate a target other than Cubitus interruptus.