Role of nemo in patterning the drosophila eye and head

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The genes that control eye specification in different animals and insects are highly conserved, yet they specify the formation of vastly different eye structure across these species. In this proposal, we describe experiments to study the role of the Nemo protein in specifying eye and head fates in the fruit fly Drosophila. In the development of the head and eye structures, there are certain genes that act to repress head fate, thus promoting eyes. Other genes repress retinal eye fate and promote head cell identity. Some play roles in both processes. The proteins that carry out these diverse functions are regulated through multiple tiers of protein-protein interactions. Our studies of Nemo have revealed that Nemo is required to suppress the function of certain head-promoting proteins, while being required for the activity of certain retinal proteins. Thus Nemo seems to play an integral role in ensuring the proper balance between the opposing activities that occur during the development of the organism.