CONTROL OF PATTERN FORMATION IN DROSOPHILA

我们研究的长期目标是了解 生物体发展成有组织的模式。特别是，我们正在 感兴趣的是基因的时空差异 活动的建立、更改、传播和表达 细胞表面。在我们所有的研究中，我们使用苍蝇，果蝇 黑猩猩，因为强大的分子和基因 可用的技术。 首先，我们将确定是什么使基因组成为 转录活跃的。为此，我们将使用阻滞剂 特定的细胞事件。第二，我们将研究复杂程度如何 基因表达的模式发展起来。我们的工作假设是 在发育早期，所有的模式基因都被开启 无处不在，但后来变得特别压抑 地区。第三，我们将研究三种细胞质的作用 调控花纹基因表达的成分： 翻译蛋白质的能力，微管的作用，以及 卵细胞内长距离相互作用的必要性。这个 第四个研究领域涉及细胞表面的作用 图案形成的差异。我们计划识别细胞表面 负责细胞识别的分子并测试它们的作用 在形态发生中发挥作用。 这些研究应该为基因调控提供洞察力。 动物发育早期的活动和进入细胞质的活动 以及不同确定状态的细胞表面表现。

The long range goal of our research is to understand how organisms develop into organized patterns. In particular, we are interested in how spatial and temporal differences in gene activities are established, altered, propagated, and expressed on the cell surface. For all our investigations we use fly, Drosophila melanogaster, because of the powerful molecular and genetic techniques available. First, we will identify what makes the genome become transcriptionally active. For this we will use inhibitors that block specific cellular events. Second, we will examine how complex patterns of gene expression develop. Our working hypothesis is that early in development all patterning genes are switched on everywhere but subsequently become repressed in particular regions. Third, we will examine the role of three cytoplasmic components in regulating expression of patterning genes: the ability to translate proteins, the role of microtubules, and the necessity of long range interactions within the egg cell. The fourth area of investigation addresses the role of cell surface differences in pattern formation. We plan to identify cell surface molecules responsible for cell recognition and test what role they play in morphogenesis. These studies should provide insight into the regulation of gene activities early in animal development and into the cytoplasmic and cell surface manifestations of different determined states.