MOLECULAR GENETICS OF NEURAL DEVELOPMENT IN THE DROSPHILIA COMPOUND EYE

我们研究的主要重点是了解遗传和 神经系统模式形成的分子基础。 神经 多细胞生物系统是由不同细胞组成复杂网络 具有独特位置和连接模式的类型。 理解 这些复杂图案如何发展是细胞中一个中心问题， 发育生物学 在神经系统的发育过程中， 无脊椎动物和脊椎动物的环境线索和细胞 相互作用在确定细胞的 表型和模式形成。 果蝇的复眼 非常适合研究模式的细胞和分子基础， 阵 果蝇眼睛的分子遗传学分析 有助于更全面地了解这些发展 以及它们如何指导发展。 我们的基因筛选 影响发育中眼睛图案形成的突变 发现了一种新的突变RAP（视网膜模式异常）。 我们的分析表明，rap基因功能对于正常发育至关重要 眼纹形成。 几条线索的证据表明，说唱行为 早期调节小眼形成的初始步骤。 第一、 温度敏感等位基因的实验表明，RAP功能 在第三龄幼虫期间， RAP突变体的小眼模式形成立即异常 在发育中的眼盘的形态发生沟后面， RAP基因的功能在初始阶段很重要。 和 最后，遗传镶嵌研究表明，rap +功能是 仅在R8中需要正常小眼模式形成， 说唱在模式形成的开始就起了作用。 这些结果使我们产生了两种可能的模型。 在第一个模型中， 基因产物是由R8产生的信号，用于其他R 细胞 我们最近的研究表明RAP+基因产物是必需的 R8细胞的正常分化。 研究提出， 本文旨在对RAP基因进行遗传和分子分析， 为了理解rap基因产物的分子性质， 表达模式和鉴定与RAP相关的其他基因产物 基因

The major focus of our research is to understand the genetic and molecular basis of pattern formation in the nervous system. The nervous system of multicellular organisms is a complex network of diverse cell types with unique positions and patterns of connectivity. Understanding how these intricate patterns develop is a central problem in cell and developmental biology. During the development of the nervous systems of both invertebrates and vertebrates environmental cues and cellular interactions play important roles in the determination of cellular phenotypes and in pattern formation. The compound eye of Drosophila is well suited for studying the cellular and molecular basis of pattern formation. Molecular genetic analysis of the Drosophila eye will contribute to a more complete understanding of what these developmental cues are and how they direct development. Our genetic screens for mutation affecting pattern formation in the developing eye have led us to the discovery of a new mutation. rap (retina aberrant in pattern). Our analysis demonstrates that rap gene function is critical for normal eye pattern formation. Several lines of evidence suggest that rap acts early to regulate the initial steps in ommatidial formation. First, experiments with a temperature sensitive alleleindicate that rap function is required during the third larval instar, a stage during which ommatidial pattern formation in rap mutants is abnormal immediately behind the morphogenetic furrow in the developing eye disc indicating that rap gene functions are important during initial steps. And finally, genetic mosaic studies demonstrate that rap + function is required only in R8 for normal ommatidial pattern formation consistent with the notion that rap acts at the beginning of pattern formation. These results led us to two possible models. In the first model the rap gene product is a signal made by R8 for proper patterning of other R cells. Our recent studies indicate that rap+ gene product is necessary for the proper differentiation of the R8 cell. The research proposed here is aimed at a genetic and molecular analysis of the rap gene with a view to understand the molecular nature of the rap gene product, its expression pattern and identify other gene products that with the rap gene.