The Drosophila midline is comprised of a distinct group of cells within the CNS that develop into a diverse set of neurons and glia. These cells play essential roles in CNS development, many of which are analogous to events in vertebrate CNS. The developmental importance of the midline, the large number of genes and pathways involved in midline development, and the diverse morphogenetic events that take place in the midline make this a premiere system for comprehensive and mechanistic developmental studies. Nearly 300 genes have been identified that are expressed in some or all CNS midline cells. The transcription factor Single minded (Sim) is required for specification of the midline and likely regulates most midline genes, but additional regulators are required to explain the diverse temporospatial patterns observed. A small number of midline CRMs have been identified, but mechanisms regulating when and where each gene is expressed are largely unknown. As a necessary step towards comprehensive characterization of midline gene regulation, I will use several approaches to identify important transcriptional mechanisms involved in midline development. I will perform a screen for midline-specific CRMs, by large-scale cloning of genomic regions around midline genes, assayed using Drosophila germline transgenesis of Green Fluorescent Protein and GAL4 reporters. Novel CRMs will be analyzed bioinformatically to identify putative regulatory motifs, and these motifs will be tested in vivo to identify the sequences conferring midline expression. Several previously unknown regulatory mechanisms have already been revealed, and will be studied in detail. I will screen mutants for transcription factors with midline glial roles for regulation of all known glial genes, to provide a global hierarchical view of midline glial regulatory networks. Finally, I will initiate a genome-wide screen for direct Sim using Chromatin Immunoprecipitation/high throughput sequencing. Midline cells will be isolated from embryos at multiple stages, Sim-bound DNA will be isolated by Immunoprecipitation, and DNA will be sequenced to map Sim binding dynamics throughout midline development. This will identify a large set of direct Sim targets that can be analyzed for their functions in the midline, and provide a robust molecular context for studying midline gene regulation.

Public Health Relevance

Detailed analysis of gene regulatory mechanisms underlying nervous system development is crucial to diagnosing and treating diseases that arise when these mechanisms go awry. As many regulatory networks, including those used in the CNS, are shared between invertebrates and vertebrates, insight into these networks will have profound implications in vertebrates. The Drosophila CNS midline is analogous to the vertebrate floorplate, so regulatory and signaling components may be functionally equivalent.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health & Human Development (NICHD)
Type
Postdoctoral Individual National Research Service Award (F32)
Project #
5F32HD061175-02
Application #
8274282
Study Section
Special Emphasis Panel (ZRG1-F03A-F (20))
Program Officer
Coulombe, James N
Project Start
2010-08-01
Project End
2012-07-31
Budget Start
2011-08-01
Budget End
2012-07-31
Support Year
2
Fiscal Year
2011
Total Cost
$54,734
Indirect Cost
Name
University of North Carolina Chapel Hill
Department
Biochemistry
Type
Schools of Medicine
DUNS #
608195277
City
Chapel Hill
State
NC
Country
United States
Zip Code
27599
Pearson, Joseph C; Crews, Stephen T (2014) Enhancer diversity and the control of a simple pattern of Drosophila CNS midline cell expression. Dev Biol 392:466-82
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Pearson, Joseph C; Crews, Stephen T (2013) Twine: display and analysis of cis-regulatory modules. Bioinformatics 29:1690-2
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Wheeler, Rebekah; Earnshaw, Valerie A; Kershaw, Trace et al. (2012) Postpartum sexually transmitted disease: refining our understanding of the population at risk. Sex Transm Dis 39:509-13
Pearson, Joseph C; Watson, Joseph D; Crews, Stephen T (2012) Drosophila melanogaster Zelda and Single-minded collaborate to regulate an evolutionarily dynamic CNS midline cell enhancer. Dev Biol 366:420-32
Wheeler, Scott R; Pearson, Joseph C; Crews, Stephen T (2012) Time-lapse imaging reveals stereotypical patterns of Drosophila midline glial migration. Dev Biol 361:232-44
Ickovics, Jeannette R; Reed, Elizabeth; Magriples, Urania et al. (2011) Effects of group prenatal care on psychosocial risk in pregnancy: results from a randomised controlled trial. Psychol Health 26:235-50
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Gould Rothberg, Bonnie E; Magriples, Urania; Kershaw, Trace S et al. (2011) Gestational weight gain and subsequent postpartum weight loss among young, low-income, ethnic minority women. Am J Obstet Gynecol 204:52.e1-11

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