TY - JOUR
T1 - Cct1, a phosphatidylcholine biosynthesis enzyme, is required for Drosophila oogenesis and ovarian morphogenesis
AU - Gupta, Tripti
AU - Schüpbach, Trudi
PY - 2003/12
Y1 - 2003/12
N2 - Patterning of the Drosophila egg requires cooperation between the germline cells and surrounding somatic follicle cells. In order to identify genes involved in follicle cell patterning, we analyzed enhancer trap lines expressed in specific subsets of follicle cells. Through this analysis, we have identified tandem Drosophild genes homologous to CTP: phosphocholine cytidylyltransferase (CCT), the second of three enzymes in the CDP-choline pathway, which is used to synthesize phosphatidylcholine. Drosophila Cct1 is expressed at high levels in three specific subsets of follicle cells, and this expression is regulated, at least in part, by the TGF-β and Egfr signaling pathways. Mutations in Cct1 result in a number of defects, including a loss of germline stem cell maintenance, mispositioning of the oocyte, and a shortened operculum, suggesting that Cct1 plays multiple roles during oogenesis. In addition, Cct1 mutants display a novel branched ovariole phenotype, demonstrating a requirement for this gene during ovarian morphogenesis. These data provide the first evidence for a specific role for CCT, and thus for phosphatidylcholine, in patterning during development.
AB - Patterning of the Drosophila egg requires cooperation between the germline cells and surrounding somatic follicle cells. In order to identify genes involved in follicle cell patterning, we analyzed enhancer trap lines expressed in specific subsets of follicle cells. Through this analysis, we have identified tandem Drosophild genes homologous to CTP: phosphocholine cytidylyltransferase (CCT), the second of three enzymes in the CDP-choline pathway, which is used to synthesize phosphatidylcholine. Drosophila Cct1 is expressed at high levels in three specific subsets of follicle cells, and this expression is regulated, at least in part, by the TGF-β and Egfr signaling pathways. Mutations in Cct1 result in a number of defects, including a loss of germline stem cell maintenance, mispositioning of the oocyte, and a shortened operculum, suggesting that Cct1 plays multiple roles during oogenesis. In addition, Cct1 mutants display a novel branched ovariole phenotype, demonstrating a requirement for this gene during ovarian morphogenesis. These data provide the first evidence for a specific role for CCT, and thus for phosphatidylcholine, in patterning during development.
KW - CTP: Phosphocholine cytidylyltransferase
KW - Cct1
KW - Drosophila
KW - Follicle cells
KW - Oogenesis
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U2 - 10.1242/dev.00817
DO - 10.1242/dev.00817
M3 - Article
C2 - 14597574
AN - SCOPUS:0141930005
SN - 0950-1991
VL - 130
SP - 6075
EP - 6087
JO - Journal of Embryology and Experimental Morphology
JF - Journal of Embryology and Experimental Morphology
IS - 24
ER -