Genetics 466
Fall 2008
Sean Carroll
PROBLEM SET #5 (lectures 24-27)
1. Understand the following terms involved in the genetics of animal
development.
segmentation
prepattern
zygotic function
spatial regulation
homeotic
repressor
gene complex
genetic hierarchy
Hox cluster
pattern formation
maternal effect
cis-regulatory element
Balanced lethal
gap gene
DNA-binding protein
pair-rule gene
homeobox
segment polarity gene
combinatorial control
morphogen
gradient
dominant mutation
activator
recessive lethal
helix-turn-helix
2. How can you tell if a gene is required zygotically and/or has a maternal effect?
3. How does the bicoid protein gradient form?
4. You have isolated mutants in a gene that you think specifies the development of the
fly antenna. How would you test your idea further?
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Genetics 466
Fall 2008
Sean Carroll
5. You believe that the product of your antenna gene turns on other genes in the
antenna. How would you test this idea? What materials would you need? What
parts of the regulated genes must you identify? How would you verify a direct
interaction in vitro and in vivo, between the protein and candidate target genes?
6. You find that your “antenna” gene is closely linked to genes involved in leg and
proboscis formation. What might you predict about the structure, function, and
evolution of this gene?
7. The position of the second stripe of even-skipped gene expression is determined by
various trans- or cis-acting factors. What are these factors? What are two different
kinds of genetic mutations that would cause the stripe not to form? What kind of
mutation could cause the stripe to expand?
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