Search results for "Drosophila melanogaster"
showing 10 items of 426 documents
Development of novel immunoglobulin G (IgG), IgA, and IgM enzyme immunoassays based on recombinant Puumala and Dobrava hantavirus nucleocapsid protei…
2006
ABSTRACT Human infections with Asian and European hantaviruses can result in hemorrhagic fever with renal syndromes of differing severities characterized by renal dysfunction and sometimes by pulmonary symptoms. For the serological detection of human infections by hantaviruses relevant for Europe, we developed monoclonal antibody capture immunoglobulin G (IgG) and IgA enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs) based on yeast-expressed nucleocapsid proteins of Puumala and Dobrava hantaviruses. Moreover, for diagnosis of acute infections, μ-capture IgM ELISAs were established with nucleocapsid proteins expressed in Drosophila melanogaster Schneider S2 cells. The cutoff values of the ELISAs w…
Conserved chromosomal clustering of genes governed by chromatin regulators in Drosophila
2008
Transcriptional analysis of chromatin regulator mutants in Drosophila melanogaster identified clusters of functionally related genes conserved in other insect species.
Segment polarity and DV patterning gene expression reveals segmental organization of theDrosophilabrain
2003
The insect brain is traditionally subdivided into the trito-, deuto- and protocerebrum. However, both the neuromeric status and the course of the borders between these regions are unclear. The Drosophila embryonic brain develops from the procephalic neurogenic region of the ectoderm, which gives rise to a bilaterally symmetrical array of about 100 neuronal precursor cells, called neuroblasts. Based on a detailed description of the spatiotemporal development of the entire population of embryonic brain neuroblasts, we carried out a comprehensive analysis of the expression of segment polarity genes (engrailed, wingless, hedgehog, gooseberry distal,mirror) and DV patterning genes (muscle segmen…
Combined QM/MM investigation on the light-driven electron-induced repair of the (6-4) thymine dimer catalyzed by DNA photolyase.
2013
The (6-4) photolyases are blue-light-activated enzymes that selectively bind to DNA and initiate splitting of mutagenic thymine (6-4) thymine photoproducts (T(6-4)T-PP) via photoinduced electron transfer from flavin adenine dinucleotide anion (FADH(-)) to the lesion triggering repair. In the present work, the repair mechanism after the initial electron transfer and the effect of the protein/DNA environment are investigated theoretically by means of hybrid quantum mechanical/molecular mechanical (QM/MM) simulations using X-ray structure of the enzyme-DNA complex. By comparison of three previously proposed repair mechanisms, we found that the lowest activation free energy is required for the …
Mapping the tRNA binding site on the surface of human DNMT2 methyltransferase.
2012
The DNMT2 enzyme methylates tRNA-Asp at position C38. Because there is no tRNA–Dnmt2 cocrystal structure available, we have mapped the tRNA binding site of DNMT2 by systematically mutating surface-exposed lysine and arginine residues to alanine and studying the tRNA methylation activity and binding of the corresponding variants. After mutating 20 lysine and arginine residues, we identified eight of them that caused large (>4-fold) decreases in catalytic activity. These residues cluster within and next to a surface cleft in the protein, which is large enough to accommodate the tRNA anticodon loop and stem. This cleft is located next to the binding pocket for the cofactor S-adenosyl-l-methion…
Papillote and Piopio:DrosophilaZP-domain proteins required for cell adhesion to the apical extracellular matrix and microtubule organization
2005
Adhesion between epithelial cells and extracellular substrates is normally mediated through basal adhesion complexes. However, some cells also possess comparable junctions on their apical surface. Here, we describe two new Drosophila proteins, Piopio and Papillote, that are required for the link between the apical epithelial surface and the overlying apical extracellular matrix (aECM). The two proteins share a zona pellucida (ZP) domain with mammalian aECM components, including the tectorins found in the vertebrate inner ear. Tagged versions of both proteins localized to the apical epithelial surface. Mutations in piopio, papillote and dumpy (another gene encoding a ZP-domain protein) cause…
The hemoglobin genes of Drosophila
2006
We recently reported the unprecedented occurrence of a hemoglobin gene (glob1) in the fruitfly Drosophila melanogaster. Here we investigate the structure and evolution of the glob1 gene in other Drosophila species. We cloned and sequenced glob1 genes and cDNA from D. pseudoobscura and D. virilis, and identified the glob1 gene sequences of D. simulans, D. yakuba, D. erecta, D. ananassae, D. mojavensis and D. grimshawi in the databases. Gene structure (introns in helix positions D7.0 and G7.0), gene synteny and sequence of glob1 are highly conserved, with high ds/dn ratios indicating strong purifying selection. The data suggest an important role of the glob1 protein in Drosophila, which may b…
Putative excitatory and putative inhibitory inputs are localised in different dendritic domains in aDrosophilaflight motoneuron
2012
Input-output computations of individual neurons may be affected by the three-dimensional structure of their dendrites and by the targeting of input synapses to specific parts of their dendrites. However, only few examples exist where dendritic architecture can be related to behaviorally relevant computations of a neuron. By combining genetic, immunohistochemical, and confocal laser scanning methods this study estimates the location of the spike initiating zone and the dendritic distribution patterns of putative synaptic inputs on an individually identified Drosophila flight motorneuron, MN5. MN5 is a monopolar neuron with more than 4000 dendritic branches. The site of spike initiation was e…
FSHD muscular dystrophy region gene 1 binds Suv4-20h1 histone methyltransferase and impairs myogenesis.
2013
Facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy (FSHD) is an autosomal dominant myopathy with a strong epigenetic component. It is associated with deletion of a macrosatellite repeat leading to over-expression of the nearby genes. Among them, we focused on FSHD region gene 1 (FRG1) since its over-expression in mice, Xenopus laevis and Caenorhabditis elegans, leads to muscular dystrophy-like defects, suggesting that FRG1 plays a relevant role in muscle biology. Here we show that, when over-expressed, FRG1 binds and interferes with the activity of the histone methyltransferase Suv4-20h1 both in mammals and Drosophila. Accordingly, FRG1 over-expression or Suv4-20h1 knockdown inhibits myogenesis. Moreov…
Development of aDrosophila melanogasterspliceosensor system forin vivohigh-throughput screening in myotonic dystrophy type 1
2014
AbstractAlternative splicing of pre-mRNAs is an important mechanism that regulates cellular function in higher eukaryotes. A growing number of human genetic diseases involve splicing defects that are directly connected to their pathology. In myotonic dystrophy type 1 (DM1), several clinical manifestations have been proposed to be the consequence of tissue-specific missplicing of numerous genes. These events are triggered by an RNA gain-of-function and resultant deregulation of specific RNA-binding factors, such as the nuclear sequestration of muscleblind-like family factors (MBNL1-MBNL3). Thus, the identification of chemical modulators of splicing events could lead to the development of the…