Keywords

18-5, 12-5, Drosophila, epithelia, Rho, Stubble, ecdysone

Abstract

Systemic steroid hormone and intracellular signaling pathways are known to act cooperatively during the development of vertebrate and invertebrate epithelia. However, the mechanism of this interaction is poorly understood. Morphogenesis of Drosophila leg imaginal disc epithelia is regulated both by the steroid hormone 20-hydroxyecdysone (ecdysone) and the RhoA GTPase signaling pathway. Recent evidence suggests that these pathways act cooperatively to control imaginal disc morphogenesis. Thus, leg imaginal disc morphogenesis is an excellent system in which to study the interaction of steroid hormone and intracellular signaling pathways. We have identified mutations in three genes, 12-5, 18-5, and 31-6, with roles in the morphogenesis of leg epithelia. Of particular interest, these mutations interact genetically with each other, mutations in the RhoA signaling pathway, and the ecdysone regulated Sb-sbd (Stubble) transmembrane serine protease. This suggests that the 12-5, 18-5, and 31-6 gene products may link hormone and RhoA signaling responses. The goal of this research was to identify and characterize the 18-5 and 12-5 genes in order to discern the mechanistic relationship between the RhoA pathway and ecdysone hierarchy.18-5 and 12-5 were precisely mapped to molecular locations within the Drosophila genome utilizing a P-element recombination mapping technique. This work narrowed the location of the 18-5 locus to within an interval of 112 kb within the Drosophila genome sequence. This interval contains 17 known and predicted genes. I also mapped the location of the 12-5 locus to a 2.6 Mb interval of the 2nd chromosome. Based on phenotypic analyses and the site of the molecularly mapped interval, a candidate gene for the 18-5 mutation was identified. Sequence analysis of the candidate gene was inconclusive and requires further analysis. Genetic interaction assays indicate that the 18-5 gene product acts upstream or at the level of Rho kinase in the RhoA signaling pathway.

Notes

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Graduation Date

2006

Semester

Summer

Advisor

von Kalm, Laurence

Degree

Master of Science (M.S.)

College

College of Sciences

Department

Biology

Degree Program

Biology

Format

application/pdf

Identifier

CFE0001290

URL

http://purl.fcla.edu/fcla/etd/CFE0001290

Language

English

Length of Campus-only Access

None

Access Status

Masters Thesis (Open Access)

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Biology Commons

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