Molecular Genetics of Segment Determination in Drosophila

分子遗传学将用于研究 生物结构是在果蝇中构建的 黑腹菌 果蝇的发育是通过 基因表达的层次结构，在其早期阶段， 分节胚 继分节之后， 由于同源异型选择子的作用， 基因. 这些基因的产物都含有DNA结合蛋白， 同源结构域，可能通过转录调节 一组靶基因。 为了了解同源异型选择基因 指定特定同色异谱身份， 并研究这些靶基因。 它们将通过使用 消减杂交程序设计用于鉴定 在过度表达a的动物之间的基因表达差异中， 特定的同源异型选择基因（Ultrabithorax，Ubx）和动物 低表达这个基因。 一旦孤立，我们将排名我们的 通过回答以下问题来对这些基因感兴趣： 它们的表达模式与野生型中Ubx的表达相关， 动物类型？ 它们的表达模式在动物身上会改变吗 同源异型选择基因的突变体（包括，但不限于， Ubx突变）？ 这些基因中有没有定位在 Ubx蛋白结合的基因组或已知同源异型基因座结合的基因组。 定位？ 我们将重点关注那些实现这些功能的基因。 的搜索. 它们将在分子和分子水平上进一步表征。 决定它们在发育过程中的功能， 生成同色异谱标识。*//

Molecular genetics will be used to investigate how complex biological structures are constructed in the fruit fly, Drosophila melanogaster. The development of Drosophila proceeds via a hierarchy of gene expression which, in its early stages, generates segmented embryo. Following segmentation, each metamere develops a particular identity due to the action of the homeotic selector genes. The products of these genes all contain the DNA-binding homeodomain and probably function by transcriptionally regulating a set of target genes. To understand how homeotic selector genes specify particular metameric identities it is important to isolate and study these target genes. They will be isolated by using a subtractive hybridization procedure designed to identify differences in gene expression between animals that overexpress a particular homeotic selector gene (Ultrabithorax, Ubx) and animals that underexpress this gene. Once isolated, we will rank our interest in these genes by answering the following questions: Do their patterns of expression correlate with Ubx expression in wild type animals? Do their patterns of expression change in animals mutant for homeotic selector genes (including, but not limited to, Ubx mutations)? And, do any of these genes map to positions in the genome where Ubx proteins bind or to where known homeotic loci are located? We will focus on those genes that fulfill most of these criteria. They will be further characterized both molecularly and genetically to determine how they function during development to generate metameric identities.***//