The LEF1/beta -catenin complex activates movo1, a mouse homolog of Drosophila ovo required for epidermal appendage differentiation.

Drosophila ovo/svb (dovo) is required for epidermal cuticle/denticle differentiation and is genetically downstream of the wg signaling pathway. Similarly, a mouse homolog of dovo, movo1, is required for the proper formation of hair, a mammalian epidermal appendage. Here, we provide biochemical evidence that movo1 encodes a nuclear DNA binding protein (mOvo1a) that binds to DNA sequences similar to those that dOvo binds to, further supporting the notion that mOvo1a and dOvo are genetically and biochemically homologous proteins.

Regulation of the vitellogenin receptor during Drosophila melanogaster oogenesis.

In many insects, development of the oocyte arrests temporarily just before vitellogenesis, the period when vitellogenins (yolk proteins) accumulate in the oocyte. Following hormonal and environmental cues, development of the oocyte resumes, and endocytosis of vitellogenins begins. An essential component of yolk uptake is the vitellogenin receptor.

The ovo gene required for cuticle formation and oogenesis in flies is involved in hair formation and spermatogenesis in mice.

The Drosophila svb/ovo gene gives rise to differentially expressed transcripts encoding a zinc finger protein. svb/ovo has two distinct genetic functions: shavenbaby (svb) is required for proper formation of extracellular projections that are produced by certain epidermal cells in late-stage differentiation; ovo is required for survival and differentiation of female germ cells. We cloned a mouse gene, movo1 encoding a nuclear transcription factor that is highly similar to its fly counterpart in its zinc-finger sequences.

The Drosophila yolkless gene encodes a vitellogenin receptor belonging to the low density lipoprotein receptor superfamily.

Sequence comparisons of vitellogenins from a wide range of organisms have identified regions of similarity not only to each other but also to vertebrate apolipoproteins (e.g. apoB-100 and apoE).

The Drosophila melanogaster stranded at second (sas) gene encodes a putative epidermal cell surface receptor required for larval development.

Several lethal mutations were identified previously in the 84BD interval of the Drosophila melanogaster third chromosome (Lewis et al., 1980; Cavener et al., 1986b).