T-Box Genes in Drosophila Mesoderm Development

Abstract In Drosophila there are eight genes encoding transcription factors of the T-box family, which are known to exert a variety of crucial developmental functions during ectodermal patterning processes, neuronal cell specification, mesodermal tissue development, and the development of extraembryonic tissues. In this review, we focus on the prominent roles of Drosophila T-box genes in mesodermal tissues. First, we describe the contributions of brachyenteron ( byn ) and optomotor-blind-related-gene-1 ( org-1 ) to the development of the visceral mesoderm. Second, we provide an overview on the functions of the three Dorsocross paralogs ( Doc1–3 ) and the two Tbx20 -related paralogs ( midline and H15 ) during Drosophila heart development. Third, we portray the roles of org-1 and midline / H15 in the specification of individual body wall and organ-attached muscles, including the function of org-1 in the transdifferentiation of certain heart-attached muscles during metamorphosis. The functional analysis of these evolutionarily conserved T-box genes, along with their interactions with other types of transcription factors and various signaling pathways, has provided key insights into the regulation of Drosophila visceral mesoderm, muscle, and heart development.