Robustness in Drosophila embryo patterning

We also work on the formation of the Bicoid gradient from its mRNA gradient, as suggested by a recent publication spirov. We model the active quasi-random transport of bcd mRNA from the anterior pole (along a non-polar cortical microtubules network), forming a complex with the mRNA-binding protein Staufen, in a pure diffusive way. Establishment of the Bcd protein gradient arises by local translation from the non-localized and evolving mRNA gradient. We use a simple and general formalism for the modeling of morphogen gradient formation which allows to obtain explicit analytical solutions in the 1D case. We can also estimate diffusive parameters. The model is also being compared to static source models (without mRNA transport) involving delocalization of the source (step- and Gaussian source).

Recommended reading

• Introduction to Systems Biology, Uri Alon
• Developmental Biology, Gilbert
• Review on A-P patterning in the Drosophila embryo nasiadkaephrussi
• Precision and Scaling of the Bicoid gradient houchmandzadehgregor05bergmanngregor07agregor07he
• Temperature robustness of the Bicoid gradient lucchetta

References

<biblio>

1. nasiadka Anterior-posterior patterning in the Drosophila embryo Advances in Developmental Biology and Biochemistry, 2002, 12, 155-204
2. ephrussi pmid=14744427
3. houmandzadeh pmid=11845210
4. gregor05 pmid=16352710
5. bergmann pmid=17298180
6. gregor07a pmid=17632061
7. gregor07 pmid=17632062
8. he pmid=18854140
9. lucchetta pmid=15858575
10. spirov pmid = 19168676

</biblio>