The ETS-transcription factor Pointed is sufficient to regulate the posterior fate of the follicular epithelium.

The Janus-kinase/signal transducer and activator of transcription (JAK/STAT) pathway regulates the anterior posterior axis of the follicle cells. In the anterior, it activates the bone morphogenetic protein (BMP) signaling pathway through expression of the BMP ligand (). In the posterior, JAK/STAT works with the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) pathway to express the T-box transcription factor (). Although MID is necessary for establishing the posterior fate of the egg chamber, we show that it is not sufficient to determine a posterior fate. The ETS-transcription factor pointed () is expressed in an overlapping domain to in the follicle cells. This study shows that is upstream of and that it is sufficient to induce a posterior fate in the anterior end, which is characterized by the induction of , the prevention of the stretched cells formation and the abrogation of border cell migration. We demonstrate that the anterior BMP signaling is abolished by PNT through repression. However, ectopic DPP cannot rescue the anterior fate formation, suggesting additional targets of PNT participate in the posterior fate determination.