STRUCTURE AND FUNCTION OF THE DROSOPHILA

虽然细胞间的相互作用在发育中起着关键的调节作用， 对潜在的分子机制知之甚少。 多样化 构成果蝇视网膜的细胞类型似乎是通过细胞- 细胞相互作用 脊椎动物神经系统的谱系研究暗示 类似的调节细胞命运的机制。 由于其可访问性 根据分子和经典遗传学分析，果蝇复眼是 非常适合于鉴定和分子表征 调节细胞命运的环境信号。 七少新娘的分子遗传学和生化分析 （老板）基因提出。 该基因的表达是一种 发展细胞，R8，只有一个发展的七个 邻居，即R7细胞，这表明boss需要产生 一个专门控制R7发育的信号。 有趣的是， 另一个基因sevenless的表达是R7细胞中所需的， 自身发展 sevenless蛋白质的结构类似于 酪氨酸激酶样受体蛋白。 这些数据导致了 假设sevenless蛋白是一种受体， R8细胞产生的蛋白质。 为了验证这一假设，我们建议：（i）克隆和测序老板 基因;（ii）生物化学表征boss基因产物;（iii）制备 以确定boss蛋白在何处以及何时 表达;（iv）过量产生boss蛋白;和（v）测试 boss蛋白与sevenless蛋白结合， 酪氨酸磷酸化 预计boss蛋白将代表一类蛋白质 发现无脊椎动物和脊椎动物，包括人类， 发展 boss基因的突变引起了 导致行为异常的缺陷。 对角色的理解 人类相似基因的发现可能为特定的 行为和发育异常

Although cell-cell interaction plays a key regulatory role in development, little is known about the underlying molecular mechanisms. The diverse cell types comprising the Drosophila retina appear to arise through cell- cell interactions. Lineage studies in the vertebrate nervous system allude to a similar mechanism of regulating cell fate. Due to its accessibility to molecular and classical genetic analysis, the Drosophila compound eye is well suited to the identification and molecular characterization of environmental cues regulating cell fate. A molecular genetic and biochemical analysis of the bride of sevenless (boss) gene is proposed. The expression of this gene is required in one developing cell, R8, for the development of only one of its seven neighbors, namely the R7 cell, suggesting that boss is required to produce a signal specifically controlling R7 development. Interestingly, expression of another gene, sevenless, is required in the R7 cell for its own development. The structure of the sevenless protein is similar to tyrosine kinase-like receptor proteins. These data have led to the hypothesis that the sevenless protein is a receptor which binds the boss protein produced by the R8 cell. To test this hypothesis we propose to: (i) clone and sequence the boss gene; (ii) biochemically characterize the boss gene product; (iii) prepare antibodies to boss to determine where and when the boss protein is expressed; (iv) overproduce the boss protein; and (v) test the ability of the boss protein to bind to the sevenless protein and thereby promote tyrosine phosphorylation. It is anticipated that the boss protein will represent a class of proteins found both invertebrates and vertebrates, including human, which regulate development. Mutations in the boss gene give rise to subtle developmental defects leading to behavioral abnormalities. An understanding of the role of similar genes in human may provide molecular insight into specific behavioral and developmental abnormalities.