Antagonizing Signaling in a Drosophila Dorsal Closure Model

所有动物的基本生物学过程的高度保守性，加上广泛的果蝇遗传学方法，使果蝇成为了解广泛发育过程的独特强大系统。在这项研究中，遗传学的方法来确定，克隆，并表征果蝇背部关闭所需的基因。背合是一个发育过程，其中一个细胞片完全包裹一个发育中的果蝇胚胎。背侧闭合过程类似于管的形成，上皮片的边缘在背侧中线处相遇并融合。几乎所有驱动背侧闭合的细胞形状和位置变化所必需的分子都是保守的，并且它们是所有脊椎动物中各种闭合过程所必需的。这些保守的过程包括眼睑和神经管融合，以及伤口愈合。一个人的能力，解剖和表征背关闭在实验上听话的果蝇，因此，提供了一个强大的系统来阐明一个基本的发展processes.The焦点的研究在这里描述的是两个果蝇蛋白质，最近被确定为是关键的背关闭：原料（一种新的蛋白质）和木乃伊（UDP] N乙酰葡糖胺焦磷酸化酶）。考虑到这些发育途径的保守性，这些蛋白质可能对神经管闭合以及背侧闭合很重要。因此，Raw和Mummy在果蝇发育过程中所扮演的角色的定义有助于识别关键发育事件所需的分子事件。本项目将为来自社区的本科生和高中生提供“动手”研究培训的机会。过去，这项研究在犹他州大学的自然历史博物馆以及其他社区场所得到了重视。教学和社区外联仍然是今后的高度优先事项。

The high degree of conservation of fundamental biological processes across all animals, coupled with the broad repertoire of fly genetic approaches makes the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster a uniquely powerful system for understanding a broad range of developmental processes. In this study, genetic methods are employed to identify, clone, and characterize genes required for fruit fly dorsal closure. Dorsal closure is the developmental process by which a cell sheet completely encases a developing fruit fly embryo. The dorsal closure process is analogous to tube formation, with the edges of the epithelial sheet meeting and fusing at the dorsal midline.Virtually all of the molecules essential for the changes in cell shape and position that drive dorsal closure are conserved, and they are required for a variety closure processes in all vertebrates. These conserved processes include eyelid and neural tube fusion, as well as wound healing. One's ability to dissect and characterize dorsal closure in the experimentally tractable fruit fly, therefore, provides a powerful system to elucidate a fundamental development process.The foci of the studies described here are two Drosophila proteins that were recently identified as being critical for dorsal closure: Raw (a novel protein) and Mummy (a UDP]Nacetylglucosamine pyrophosphorylase). Given the conservation of these developmental pathways, these proteins are likely important for neural tube closure as well as for dorsal closure. Thus, the definition of the roles that Raw and Mummy play in the developing fruit fly facilitates identification of the molecular events necessary for key developmental events.This project will provide undergraduates and high school students from the community with 'hands-on' research training opportunities. In the past this research has been highlighted at the University of Utah's Museum of Natural History, as well as additional community venues. Teaching and community outreach remains a high priority for the future.