A transcript from a Drosophila pattern gene predicts a protein homologous to the transforming growth factor-β family

The decapentaplegic gene complex (DPP-C) has been implicated in several events in pattern formation during Drosophila development^1-3. During embryogenesis, the DPP-C participates in the establishment of dorsal-ventral specification. Later, it is required for the correct morphogenesis of the imaginal disks, which will form much of the adult epidermis. We have undertaken a molecular analysis of the DPP-C to determine what role it plays in positional information. It appears to be a large genetic unit (>40 kilobases (kb)) consisting mostly of cis-regulatory information controlling the expression of a set of overlapping transcripts that differ at their 5' ends, but share the bulk of their transcribed sequences. Here, we describe the sequence analysis of two complementary DNAs comprising 4.0 kb of a 4.5-kb transcript. The C-terminus of the protein thereby deduced exhibits strong sequence homology (25-38% amino-acid identity) to the C-termini of a class of mammalian proteins that includes transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β)^4,5, inhibin ^6-9 and Müllerian inhibiting substance (MIS)^10,11. These proteins act on target cells to produce a variety of responses, such as stimulation or inhibition of cell division or differentiation. The homology suggests that the DPP-C protein contributes to correct morphogenesis as a secreted factor involved in the differential regulation of cell growth. This is the first report of a member of the TGF-β gene family in a non-mammalian organism, and indicates that one or more members of this gene family existed before arthropod and vertebrate lineages diverged.