Dj. Merritt et al., THE ROLE OF THE CUT GENE IN THE SPECIFICATION OF CENTRAL PROJECTIONS BY SENSORY AXONS IN DROSOPHILA, Neuron, 10(4), 1993, pp. 741-752
Mutations in the cut gene transform sense organs in Drosophila embryos
from external sensory (es) receptors to chordotonal (ch) organs. We h
ave investigated whether their central axonal projections are also tra
nsformed. Following Lucifer yellow injection of the sensory neuron, wi
ld-type es and ch organs show characteristic, different projection pat
terns in the CNS. Transformed es neurons in cut embryos are variable i
n their projection patterns: some resemble wild-type es neurons, other
s ch neurons, while yet others are unlike either of these. We conclude
that the cut gene influences axonal projections, although its action
as a simple modality switch is open to question. Additional genes coul
d be involved in the specification of the central axonal projection of
the transformed neurons.