|
|
|
|||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
The major focus of my laboratory is understanding how genes interact to produce complex structures during development, using a combination of genetic and molecular approaches to identify and analyze genes involved in setting up the body plan and sense organs of the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster. One research project focuses on the functions of the nubbin/pdm-1 and pdm-2 genes, which are two closely linked genes encoding transcription factors that are members of the POU domain family. Both genes are largely expressed in the same cells during development in complex expression patterns that suggest the genes play a variety of roles in specification of cell fates. Genetic analyses show that they play largely redundant roles: both genes must be inactivated in order to see any effects. Redundant genes can be difficult to identify with standard genetic screens, since only rarely will copies of both genes be mutated. A second research project focuses on developing an alternate genetic approach to identify genes by dominant misexpression. In this approach, a transposable element containing a GAL4-responsive enhancer is mobilized to insert at random sites in the genome, then activated by crossing to a strain expressing GAL4 in the precursors to the external sense organs.
In a fraction of the random insert lines, misexpression of an adjacent gene driven from the inserted enhancer causes visible phenotypes, including loss of sense organs, cell fate changes in the sense organ differentiation pathway, and abnormal sense organ morphology. Current projects are to identify the genes involved in these effects.
Dominant bristle phenotype resulting from enhancer-driven misexpression of an adjacent gene encoding an actin-binding protein. |
|
| | | | | |
|
