Early Developmental Gene Regulation in Dictyostelium

真核生物的正常发育需要 在精确的时间和组织中表达大量的基因 选择性 辛格尔顿博士正在利用 细胞黏菌，盘基网柄霉，作为 一个系统来研究差异的分子细节， 基因表达及其发育调控 表情 他确定并描述了三组 这些基因显示出不同形式的差异表达， 发展初期或之后不久。 两组 在开发启动时失活，以及 这两种情况下的去激活事件非常不同 组 第三组基因在发育开始时被诱导 并在出生后的最初几个小时内短暂表达， 程序. 辛格尔顿博士对突变菌株的分析 基因的发展导致了基因的亚分类， 似乎都在同一个监管体系下。 他将继续 为了分离出与这些基因中的某些基因相对应的基因组克隆， 基因，并利用它们来研究分子事件 参与其监管。 所必需的序列 转录和适当的调节将被定义， 介导调节事件的蛋白质因子将是 识别和表征。 一种用于生成和 鉴定存在于编码以下的基因中的突变： 将建立监管机制。最后通过 诱变选定的基因，他将开始解决什么 这些基因在发育过程中的作用 程序. %%% 这些调查应导致更全面的 监管的复杂性和细节 导致激活和建立发展的事件 使用简单的模型系统。他们将提供重要的 深入了解分子机制， 控制早期发展的过程。

Proper development of eukaryotic organisms requires differential expression of a multitude of genes with precise timing and tissue selectivity. Dr. Singleton is utilizing the developmental program of the cellular slime mold, Dictyostelium discoideum, as a system to investigate the molecular details of differential gene expression and the developmental regulation of this expression. He has identified and characterized three groups of genes which show various forms of differential expression upon the onset of development or shortly thereafter. Two groups are deactivated upon initiation of development, and the mechanisms of the deactivation events are very different between the two groups. A third set of genes is induced as development begins and is transiently expressed during the first few hours of the program. Dr. Singleton's analysis of mutant strains unable to develop has led to subclassification of the genes into those that appear to be under the same regulatory system. He will continue to isolate the genomic clones corresponding to certain of these genes and utilize them to investigate the molecular events involved in their regulation. The sequences necessary for transcription and proper regulation will be defined, and the protein factors which mediate the regulatory events will be identified and characterized. A system for generating and identifying mutations present in the genes encoding the regulatory machinery will be developed. Finally, through mutagenesis of a selected gene, he will begin to address what role these genes play in the establishment of the developmental program. %%% These investigations should result in a more comprehensive picture of the complexity and the details of the regulatory events leading to the activation and establishment of development using a simple model system. They will provide significant insight into the molecular machinery that is utilized in the control processes of early development.