Spatial expression of Drosophila glutathione S-transferase-D1 in the alimentary canal is regulated by the overlying visceral mesoderm

Regional gene expression within Drosophila gut epithelium is regulated by the homeotic genes expressed in the overlying visceral mesoderm. Here it is reported that Glutathione S-transferase-D1 (Gst-D1) had three distinctive expression domains in the gut epithelia: the inner epithelium of the proventriculus, the anterior border of the hindgut epithelium, and the midgut epithelium. Gst-D1 expression in the midgut epithelium became restricted to the region that later formed the third midgut constriction. This spatial restriction within the midgut epithelium required abdominal-A activity in the overlying visceral mesoderm, suggesting that Gst-D1 will be a useful marker to analyze the mechanism of gene regulation across the mesoderm and endoderm.