Document Detail


A compartmental model for the bicoid gradient.
MedLine Citation:
PMID:  20580703     Owner:  NLM     Status:  MEDLINE    
Abstract/OtherAbstract:
The anterior region of the Drosophila embryo is patterned by the concentration gradient of the homeodomain transcription factor bicoid (Bcd). The Bcd gradient was the first identified morphogen gradient and continues to be a subject of intense research at multiple levels, from the mechanisms of RNA localization in the oocyte to the evolution of the Bcd-mediated patterning events in multiple Drosophila species. Critical assessment of the mechanisms of the Bcd gradient formation requires biophysical models of the syncytial embryo. Most of the proposed models rely on reaction-diffusion equations, but their formulation and applicability at high nuclear densities is a nontrivial task. We propose a straightforward alternative in which the syncytial blastoderm is approximated by a periodic arrangement of well-mixed compartments: a single nucleus and an associated cytoplasmic region. We formulate a compartmental model, constrain its parameters by experimental data, and demonstrate that it provides an adequate description of the Bcd gradient dynamics.
Authors:
Michail E Kavousanakis; Jitendra S Kanodia; Yoosik Kim; Ioannis G Kevrekidis; Stanislav Y Shvartsman
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Publication Detail:
Type:  Journal Article     Date:  2010-05-24
Journal Detail:
Title:  Developmental biology     Volume:  345     ISSN:  1095-564X     ISO Abbreviation:  Dev. Biol.     Publication Date:  2010 Sep 
Date Detail:
Created Date:  2010-08-10     Completed Date:  2010-09-15     Revised Date:  2011-09-26    
Medline Journal Info:
Nlm Unique ID:  0372762     Medline TA:  Dev Biol     Country:  United States    
Other Details:
Languages:  eng     Pagination:  12-7     Citation Subset:  IM    
Copyright Information:
Copyright 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Affiliation:
Department of Chemical Engineering, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA.
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MeSH Terms
Descriptor/Qualifier:
Algorithms
Animals
Blastoderm / cytology,  embryology,  metabolism
Body Patterning / genetics,  physiology*
Drosophila / embryology*,  genetics
Embryo, Nonmammalian / cytology,  embryology*,  metabolism
Female
Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental
Homeodomain Proteins / genetics,  physiology*
Male
Models, Biological*
Oocytes / cytology,  metabolism
RNA, Messenger / genetics,  metabolism
Trans-Activators / genetics,  physiology*
Grant Support
ID/Acronym/Agency:
R01 GM078079-04/GM/NIGMS NIH HHS
Chemical
Reg. No./Substance:
0/Homeodomain Proteins; 0/RNA, Messenger; 0/Trans-Activators; 0/bicoid protein, Drosophila
Comments/Corrections

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