millepattes micropeptides are an ancient developmental switch required for embryonic patterning
it’s still not at all clear what the Mlpt/Svb/Ubr3 module actually does to regulate segmentation!
a cooperative trio of genes, initially discovered in Drosophila where it has a more restricted functional capacity, possesses important ancestral functions in insect embryonic segmentation, representing a significant addition to the anterior-posterior patterning network in insects.
The position of the complementary Svb/Mlpt expression boundaries at the interface between blastoderm and oscillation-driven growth zone invites further study.
a posttranslational mechanism involving a micropeptide like Mlpt can be used to switch Svb activity, broadly regulating phenotypic plasticity during embryogenesis.
Common Design 