Resolving a gene network for a developmentally patterned and rapidly evolving fruit fly trait

Resolving a gene network for a developmentally patterned and rapidly evolving fruit fly trait

Presenter(s)

Corinne Stone, Rachel Stanojev, Emily Daniel

Comments

Presentation: 10:40-11:00 a.m., Kennedy Union 311

Description

Our research aims to further resolve a gene regulatory network (GRN) responsible forthe development of a male-specific (dimorphic) pattern of pigmentation on the abdomensegments of the fruit fly Drosophila (D.) melanogaster. The male A5 and A6 segments are blackin color from melanin pigment produced by the resident epidermal cells. These melanicsegments differ from the non-melanic A1-A4 segments, and the A5 and A6 segments offemales. Previous studies identified 30 regulatory genes whose functions are needed for thisdimorphic pigmentation, and found the cis-regulatory elements (CREs) that control theepidermis expression of four genes that encode pigment metabolism enzymes, and one CREthat controls expression of a key regulatory gene. Here we describe a plan to use RNA-interference to turn down the expression of these regulatory genes one-by-one, and determinewhat effects reduced expression has on the function of these five CREs. The results will revealconnections between regulators and their target genes that embody a pigmentation GRN.Abdomen pigmentation differs between fruit fly species, so success in characterizing this D.melanogaster GRN will bolster future studies on how this GRN evolved. Few animal GRNs havebeen characterized, and thus the breadth of regulatory genes and their CRE interactions remainunclear. While all traits have evolutionary histories, how they originate, become modified, andlost has not been characterized at the level of GRNs and CREs. However, fruit fly pigmentationpresents an ideal trait and species lineage to study GRNs, as its genetic tools are second tonone.

Publication Date

4-19-2023

Project Designation

Independent Research

Primary Advisor

Tom Williams

Primary Advisor's Department

Biology

Keywords

Stander Symposium, College of Arts and Sciences

Institutional Learning Goals

Scholarship

Resolving a gene network for a developmentally patterned and rapidly evolving fruit fly trait

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