Regulation of segment polarity genes in the head region of different arthropods

TL;DRAbstract

Head segmentation in insects, as reflected by the model system Drosophila melanogaster, is less well understood in comparison to the trunk. While the gnathal segments (mandibular, maxillary, labial) are patterned in a way similar to the trunk, distinct molecular mechanisms underlie the metamerization of the anterior head region into the procephalic (ocular, antennal, intercalary) segment anlagen (reviewed in Rogers and Kaufman, 1997). In that context, actually a unique mode of establishment for each of the procephalic segments has been suggested based on anterior head segment-specific cross-regulatory interactions among segment polarity genes (Gallitano-Mendel and Finkelstein, 1997). So far it remains unclear how the establishment of the procephalic segment polarity gene expression is controlled, although a functional input from the head gap-like genes has been elucidated and a second level of regulation in patterning of the anterior head region has been implicated (Crozatier et al., 1

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