TRANSDUCTION AND RETINAL DEGENERATION IN DROSOPHILA

描述(改编自申请人的摘要)：虽然与 脊椎动物系统，果蝇的光传导在几个方面是相似的 尊重，遗传系统的力量证明了它作为模型的合理性。 这位申请人已经对基因进行了广泛的基因筛查 这会影响视网膜退行性变的速度 视紫红质：arrestin比率。总共有35万只F1果蝇被筛选出来 112个新的显性突变。这种创新的方法与 通过直接发现光转导突变所需的巨大努力 他们的ERG表型。有四个具体目标。第一个目标是， 申请者将通过以下方式研究集合中的10个新的arrestin等位基因 确定零ERG表型，并检查 磷酸化、视紫红质结合与arrestin的功能 C-末端结构域。第二个目标集中在10个新的视紫红质突变体上 会导致视网膜退化，其中一些会在一本小说中出现 依赖光的方式。第三个目标涉及分子分离和 一种新的视网膜退行性变部位的特征 屏幕。第四个目标是追求他者的特征。 在筛查中恢复了突变。

DESCRIPTION (Adapted from applicant's abstract): While not identical to vertebrate systems, Drosophila phototransduction is similar in several respects, and the power of the genetic system justifies its use as a model. Extensive genetic screens have been conducted by this applicant for genes that can affect the rate of retinal degeneration which follows from altered rhodopsin:arrestin ratios. In all, 350,000 F1 flies screened have yielded 112 new dominant mutations. This innovative approach stands in contrast to the huge effort required to discover phototransduction mutants directly by their ERG phenotypes. There are four specific aims. In the first aim, the applicant will study the ten new arrestin alleles in the collection by determining the null ERG phenotype, and examining the role of phosphorylation, rhodopsin binding and the function of the arrestin C-terminal domain. The second aim focuses on the ten new rhodopsin mutants that cause retinal degeneration, some of which do so in a novel light-dependent manner. The third aim involves the molecular isolation and characterization of a new retinal degeneration locus recovered four times in the screen. The fourth aim is to pursue the characterization of the other mutations recovered in the screens.