Identification of tissue-specific genes involved in peroxisome biogenesis or function in Drosophila melanogaster

我们的实验室研究胚胎细胞内必要的过程，因为它们专门成为发育中动物体内的特定组织。在细胞内，称为过氧化物酶体的小细胞体调节重要的过程，如脂质（脂肪）代谢和活性氧分子的解毒，这些活性氧分子可以破坏其他分子。从对酵母等生物的研究中，我们知道了过氧化物酶体形成和基本功能所必需的大约12个基因的基本集合。然而，我们也知道过氧化物酶体以不同的量存在于作为动物组织一部分的细胞中，并且具有不同的功能组成。因此，必须有超过12个基本的过氧化物酶体基因参与形成每个器官的细胞内过氧化物酶体形成或功能的特异性调节。我们将使用果蝇（果蝇）作为一个简单的遗传模型，以系统地确定过氧化物酶体的形成是如何在动物组织，如脑，肝和肌肉独特的调节。有超过一百年的科学先例使用果蝇来识别和表征调节组织发育的不同细胞方面的特化基因。 我们的工作已经证实，酵母中过氧化物酶体重要的相应基本基因家族对于果蝇过氧化物酶体形成的基本方面同样重要。我们目前的研究计划将解决两个关键问题，这将大大提高我们对这些关键细胞器的理解：1）Pex基因突变如何在果蝇等简单动物的早期发育过程中导致器官特异性缺陷？2)哪些基因调控特定器官中过氧化物酶体的形成和/或功能？

Our laboratory studies the processes that are necessary within embryonic cells as they specialize to become part specific tissues within the developing animal. Within cells, small cellular bodies called peroxisomes regulate important processes such as lipid (fat) metabolism and the detoxification of reactive oxygen molecules that can damage other molecules. From studies of organisms such as yeast, that exist as single cells growing in isolation, we know the basic set of approximately twelve genes necessary for peroxisome formation and basic function(s). However, we also know that peroxisomes are present in different amounts and with different functional compositions in the cells that are part of animal tissues. Therefore, there must be more than the twelve basic peroxisome genes involved in the specific regulation of peroxisome formation or function within the cells that form each organ. We will use Drosophila melanogaster (fruit flies), as a simple genetic model to systematically determine how peroxisome formation is uniquely regulated in animal tissues such as the brain, liver and muscles. There is over one hundred years of scientific precedent using Drosophila to identify and characterize the specialized genes that regulate different cellular aspects of tissue development. Our work has already confirmed that the corresponding basic family of genes important for peroxisomes in yeasts are similarly important for the basic aspects Drosophila peroxisome formation. Our current research program will address two critical questions that will significantly improve our understanding of these critical cellular organelles: 1) How do mutations in Pex genes cause organ-specific defects during early development of a simple animal like fruit flies? 2) What are the genes that regulate peroxisome formation and/or function in specific organs?