Investigation of FMRFamide and SCP as targets for the Juvenile Hormone Nuclear Receptor
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Authors
Bielang, Rebecca E.
Issue Date
2001
Type
Thesis
Language
en_US
Keywords
Alternative Title
Abstract
Studies of insect development have played a key role in our current understanding
of the neuroendocrine system of both insects and vertebrates. Mutations in the
Drosophila melanogaster gene apterous (ap) result in a pleiotropic phenotype due to
neuroendocrine dysfunction. Juvenile Honnone (JH) is crucial for proper development of
insects such as Drosophila. Previous studies have shown that a lack of JH in ap mutants results in sterility, which can be rescued by ectopic application of JH. Another key aspect of the ap phenotype is the lack of FMRFamide, a neuropeptide, in the thoracicventral (Tv) cells. Because Tv cells are known to express Apterous protein, it has been suggested that this protein directly regulates FMRFamide gene expression. A recent study reports FMRFamide rescue through the expression of a wild-type ap cDNA from an ap central nervous system enhancer. This enhancer also showed reporter gene
expression in the corpus allatum, where JH is produced. Due to these findings we
hypothesize that FMRFamide is regulated in two ways: directly by Apterous protein and
through JH. In this study the goal is to identify the regulatory mechanism among JH, apterous, and FMRFamide. Included in the mechanics may be the currently unidentified JH receptor. To accomplish this, flies with different mutations in the ligand binding domains which may affect FMRFa expression were immunostained with an antibody for the FMRFa peptide.
Our results of 12 different mutants proved disappointing. None of the flies we
stained showed similar patterns to the apterous mutants. Therefore, we were
unsuccessful in identifying another piece of the puzzle to how JH is linked to the
Apterous protein.
Description
vi, 28 p.
Citation
Publisher
Kalamazoo College
License
U.S. copyright laws protect this material. Commercial use or distribution of this material is not permitted without prior written permission of the copyright holder.