The study investigates the interaction between the bed homeodomain protein and cad mRNA, finding that the bed homeodomain is essential for binding to cad mRNA and forming the cad gradient. Co-transfection experiments with Drosophila Schneider cells show that bed reduces the translation efficiency of BBR-containing mRNAs, suggesting that bed functions not only as a transcriptional activator but also as a translational repressor. This dual function of bed is analogous to the posterior maternal pattern-organizer system, where nanos and pumilio proteins mediate translational repression. The findings imply that the anterior and posterior maternal pattern-forming systems are interconnected through bed's dual regulatory roles.The study investigates the interaction between the bed homeodomain protein and cad mRNA, finding that the bed homeodomain is essential for binding to cad mRNA and forming the cad gradient. Co-transfection experiments with Drosophila Schneider cells show that bed reduces the translation efficiency of BBR-containing mRNAs, suggesting that bed functions not only as a transcriptional activator but also as a translational repressor. This dual function of bed is analogous to the posterior maternal pattern-organizer system, where nanos and pumilio proteins mediate translational repression. The findings imply that the anterior and posterior maternal pattern-forming systems are interconnected through bed's dual regulatory roles.