The function of the prereplicative complex and SCF complex components during Drosophila wing development

Chromosomal DNA replication machinery functions in the growing cells and organs in multicellular organisms. We previously demonstrated that its knockdown in several tissues of Drosophila led to a rough eye phenotype, the loss of bristles in the eye and female sterile. In this paper, we investigated in detail the wing phenotype using RNAi flies, and observed that the knockdown not only of Mcm10 but also of some other prereplicative complex components demonstrated wing phenotypes, using Gal4-driver flies. Surprisingly, some SCF complex components, which control cell cycle progression via protein degradation, also showed the wing phenotype. These results showed that the DNA replication machinery contributes to wing development independent of growth, probably through defects in DNA replication and protein degradation at specific places and times. Summary statement We recently outlined the prereplicative complex components, including Mcm10 and SCF complex functions, during Drosophila wing development. In this paper, we detail these findings.