Molecular characterization of bsg25D: a blastoderm-specific locus of Drosophila melanogaster.

The blastoderm stage of Drosophila embryogenesis is a time of crucial transitions in RNA transcription, the cell cycle and segment determination. We have previously identified three loci encoding RNAs specific to this stage (Roark et al., Dev. Biol. 109, 476-488, 1985). We present here the complete nucleotide sequence of one of these loci, bsg25D, which encodes a 2.7 kb blastoderm-specific RNA. The primary structure of this RNA, and that of an overlapping 4.5 kb RNA, has been determined. The amino acid sequence of the predicted bsg25D protein has been compared to the NBRF protein database. Structural similarities between domains in the bsg25D, fos, and tropomyosin proteins, and their possible significance for early embryogenesis are discussed.