Correlation of expression patterns of homothorax, dachshund, and Distal-less with the proximodistal segmentation of the cricket leg bud

We describe the expression pattern of Gryllus homothorax (Gbhth) and dachshund (Gbdac), a cricket homologue of Drosophila homothorax and dachshund, together with localization of Distal-less or Extradenticle protein during leg development. We correlated their expression patterns with the morphological segmentation of the leg bud. The boundary of Gbhth/GbDII subdivision is correlated with the segment boundary of the future trochanter/femur at early stages. Gbdac expression subdivides the leg bud into the presumptive femur and more distal region. During the leg proximodistal formation. although the early expression patterns of GbDII. Gbdac. and Gbhth significantly differ from those of Drosophilia imaginal disc, their expression patterns in the fully segmented Gryllus leg ere similar to those in the Drosophila late third instar disc. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.