Mutations in the disheveled gene in Drosophila can lead to various defects in the hairs of the thorax of adult flies, along with misshapen wings. These morphological abnormalities arise because of improper determination of the boundaries of individual segments during the fly's early development. Based on this information, disheveled is most likely a _______ gene.
A) maternal effect
B) gap
C) pair rule
D) segment polarity
E) Hox

Question

Mutations in the disheveled gene in Drosophila can lead to various defects in the hairs of the thorax of adult flies, along with misshapen wings. These morpho­logical abnormalities arise because of improper determination of the boundaries of individual seg­ments during the fly's early development. Based on this information, disheveled is most likely a _______ gene.
A) maternal effect
B) gap
C) pair rule
D) segment polarity
E) Hox

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The fact that mutations in the disheveled gene leads to defects in segment boundaries suggests that it is involved in segment polarity, which is responsible for defining the boundaries of individual segments during early development. Maternal effect genes are those that are expressed in the mother and influence the early development of the embryo, while gap genes and pair rule genes are involved in establishing broad regional identities and specifying specific segments, respectively. Hox genes are involved in specifying the identities of individual segments along the anterior-posterior axis. Therefore, option D, segment polarity, is the best answer.

Mutations in the Disheveled Gene in Drosophila Can Lead to Various