Pole plasm assembly in drosophila melanogaster

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Our laboratory has made substantial contributions, using the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster, toward understanding new mechanisms of gene regulation that are essential for the specification of the cells that will develop into eggs and sperm.  It has become increasingly apparent that these mechanisms are also important for mammalian development, and are not only restricted to the cells that give rise to these germ cells.  In fact, these mechanisms, which involve regulating synthesis of proteins from specific localized RNAs. may be a major mechanism underlying learning and memory in all animals including humans.  In the next term of the grant we will continue our study of one localized RNA, gcl, in an effort to further elucidate how it is controlled, and of a protein called Belle that is involved in this method of gene regulation.  We will also determine the extent to which RNA interference, another newly-discovered mechanism of gene regulation, is involved in germ cell specification.