The role of who in leg imaginal disc

morphogenesis

The Drosophila who gene has pleiotropic functions

during metamorphosis• who (wings-held-out) also named how, struthio,

qkr93F• Encodes KH RNA binding protein • Strong similarity to nematode GLD-1 and mouse

QK1• Required for tendon cell differentiation in

embryos• who mutants exhibit defects in muscle, muscle

attachment, wing development and adult leg development

who mutants show multiple lethal phases

who is expressed during metamorphosis

who mutants show defects in leg development

who

Stubble

control

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Conclusions

• who mutants show multiple lethal phases and pleiotropic effects during metamorphosis.

• who is expressed during metamorphosis.

• who mutant leg discs undergo proper cell shape changes during morphogenesis but do not extend fully at the prepupal-pupal transition.

• This defect is associated with inappropriate orientation of leg imaginal discs.

• The pleiotropic function of who suggests that KH proteins play essential roles in development of numerous cell types.

Acknowledgments

Mount Holyoke College

Tina Fortier

Craig Woodard

University of Maryland Biotechnology Institute

Runa Chatterjee

Susan Klinedinst

Eric Baehrecke