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Identifying genes that control wing shape in flies

This study focuses on identifying the genes involved in controlling wing shape in flies, particularly in narrow (nw) mutants. The Nw protein is essential for making the wings wide, but its exact function and interactions with other proteins are still unknown. The hypothesis is that Protein X helps regulate wing shape by influencing cell movement. Additional experiments using deficiencies (Df) and studying the Dp gene suggest that Nw may interact with Protein Y to prevent the wings from becoming too narrow. The findings also reveal similarities between shape changes in flies and vertebrate embryos.

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Identifying genes that control wing shape in flies

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  1. Identifying genes that control wing shape in flies Gregory Campbell Central Catholic High School Pittsburgh

  2. In narrow (nw) mutants the wing is narrow Wild-type narrow (nw)

  3. The Nw protein is required to make the wing wide • How does it do this? • We don’t know how narrow protein functions • It is secreted from wing cells - looks like a protein that binds to other proteins Nwprotein nw mutant Wild-type

  4. Wings during metamorphosis in the fly pupal stages Increasing age During metamorphosis in the wild-type pupa, normal wings become narrower when cells move in between each other.

  5. Wings during metamorphosis in the fly pupal stages Increasing age In nw mutants the wings become too narrow when cells move in between each other too much.

  6. Hypothesis • • Protein X: helps make the wing the right shape by making them move in between each other • • If Protein X becomes overactive the wing becomes narrow • Possibility 1: Narrow binds to Protein X to suppress function • Possibility 2: Narrow binds to protein Y, interacting to suppress to X function Nw protein Protein X (overactive) Protein X Protein X Protein Y Nw protein Reducing the amount of X in a nw mutant should make wing less narrow If Y exists, reducing Y in a nw mutant may make the wing more narrow

  7. So how to do you find genes x and y? • Test mutations in all the genes in the fly? Take forever! • Alternative: Use Deficiencies (Df) • Dfs = small deletions in a chromosome • Each deletes a different region of a chromsome • Each Df may include 10-50 genes • 200 Dfs cover almost all of the chromosomes Df(2L)ED250

  8. Studies done before I started: 18 Dfs identified that which make a narrow mutant wing narrower or wider, e.g. Df(2L)ED250 and Df(2L)N22-14 nw[D] Df(2L)N22-14 nw[D]/+ nw[D]/Df(2L)ED250

  9. Deficiency Df(2L)ED250 makes the narrow wing narrower nw[D]/Df(2L)ED250 nw[D]/+ 24F-25A region of the chromosome Is one of these gene y?

  10. Test more Dfs in 24F-25A region

  11. Method • Cross nw[D] to Df • Pick out nw[D]/Df flies • Pull wings off and mount on microscope slides • Take picture • Measure length and width of wings • Compare l:w of nw[D]/Df to nw[D]/+ • Use statistical test (t-test) to find if difference is likely to be real

  12. Results for 24F-25A region

  13. Results on chromosome map Blue = interacts (makes wing narrower) Red = no effect (same as nw[D]/+)

  14. Which gene?

  15. Dp mutants have defective wings wild-type dp[olv1] (no Dp protein) Why dp mutant wings look like this is not understood Dp protein is very large and is found on the outside of cells Do dp mutants change the shape of nw mutant wings like the Df?

  16. Do mutations in dp interact with nw? nw[D]/+ nw[D]/dp[ov1] Yes! nw[D]/dp[olvR] (50% Dp protein)

  17. Conclusion • Identified dp as a gene that interacts with nw • Dp may be protein Y: results suggest Nw may function with Dp to stop the wing becoming too narrow Nw protein Protein X Protein X Protein Y Nw protein • but it must be more complicated than this..

  18. Wings during metamorphosis in pupa Increasing age Too much convergent extension? Increasing age Frog embryos Convergent extension Shape changes in nw mutants are similar to those in vertebrate embryos

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