Neuropeptide Hormone Processing during Ecdysis and Growth Control in Drosophila

肽和神经肽激素是有效的信号分子，在所有动物中起作用以协调生理、行为和发育。虽然新的遗传技术已经确定了许多编码肽的基因，这些肽可能具有激素的功能，但关于肽激素如何、何时、何地产生以及它们具有什么生物学功能，还有很多东西有待发现。该项目在一个简单的模型系统中使用分子遗传学方法，果蝇（Drosophila melanogaster），以确定参与调节生长和发育进程的肽激素是如何由称为SPC的专门加工酶产生的。该研究将确定特定神经元集合中SPC功能的要求，并将确定加工的肽激素如何有助于发育，生长和维持正常的葡萄糖水平。人类肽激素信号传导的缺陷会导致糖尿病和癌症等疾病。从这项研究中了解肽激素产生的基本分子机制将具有广泛的相关性，并可能有助于治疗涉及激素信号传导缺陷的疾病。该项目还将通过指导研究生和本科生使用最先进的遗传和分子技术来解决重要的研究问题，为培养下一代科学家作出贡献。

Peptide and neuropeptide hormones are potent signaling molecules that act in all animals to coordinate physiology, behavior, and development. Although new genetic techniques have identified many genes encoding peptides that may function as hormones, much remains to be discovered about how, when, and where peptide hormones are produced and what biological functions they serve. This project uses molecular genetic approaches in a simple model system, the fruitfly (Drosophila melanogaster), to determine how peptide hormones involved in regulating growth and developmental progression are produced by specialized processing enzymes called SPCs. The research will determine the requirements for SPC function in specific sets of neurons and will determine how processed peptide hormones contribute to development, growth, and the maintenance of normal glucose levels. Defects in peptide hormone signaling in humans lead to diseases such as diabetes and cancer. Understanding of the basic molecular mechanisms of peptide hormone production that results from this study will be of broad relevance and may contribute to therapies for diseases that involve defects in hormonal signaling. The project will also contribute to the preparation of the next generation of scientists by instructing graduate and undergraduate students in the use of cutting edge genetic and molecular techniques to address important research questions.