The aim of the proposed research is to determine the molecular mechanisms by which a cluster of developmentally and hormonally regulated Drosophila genes are controlled. The genes are the structural genes for three salivary gland secretion proteins, sgs-3, sgs-7 and sgs-8. These genes are in the 68C polytene chromosome puff, on the left arm of the third chromosome. Several parallel series of experiments will be performed. One set will concentrate on the mechanisms by which two known trans-acting factors, the steroid hormone ecdysterone and the product of the X-chromosomeal gene l(1)npr-1, cause initiation of expression of the 68C genes. A second series of experiments will precisely identify the cis-acting regulaoty nucleotides in and adjacent to the three genes by several different and complementary methods. Finally, the interaction of transacting regulatory molecules and the cis-acting regulatory sequences will be studied. While most of the proposed work will use Drosophila melanogaster genes, a detailed analysis of the structure and function of the homologous genes in several other related Drosophila species will also be undertaken. The result of the planned work will be a detailed knowledge of the molecular interactions that are involved in the hormonal and developmental regulation of the three structural genes of the 68C puff. These studies will contribute to the long-term objective of understanding the molecular mechanisms by which developmentally and hormonally regulated genes are controlled, and thus to the comprehension of differential gene expression, one of the fundamental processes in the development of multicellular organisms.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS)
Type
Research Project (R01)
Project #
5R01GM028075-10
Application #
3275326
Study Section
Genetics Study Section (GEN)
Project Start
1980-07-01
Project End
1991-06-30
Budget Start
1989-07-01
Budget End
1990-06-30
Support Year
10
Fiscal Year
1989
Total Cost
Indirect Cost
Name
California Institute of Technology
Department
Type
Schools of Arts and Sciences
DUNS #
078731668
City
Pasadena
State
CA
Country
United States
Zip Code
91125
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Todo, T; Roark, M; Raghavan, K V et al. (1990) Fine-structure mutational analysis of a stage- and tissue-specific promoter element of the Drosophila glue gene Sgs-3. Mol Cell Biol 10:5991-6002
Roark, M; Raghavan, K V; Todo, T et al. (1990) Cooperative enhancement at the Drosophila Sgs-3 locus. Dev Biol 139:121-33
Martin, C H; Meyerowitz, E M (1988) Mosaic evolution in the Drosophila genome. Bioessays 9:65-9
Martin, C H; Mayeda, C A; Meyerowitz, E M (1988) Evolution and expression of the Sgs-3 glue gene of Drosophila. J Mol Biol 201:273-87
Crosby, M A; Meyerowitz, E M (1986) Drosophila glue gene Sgs-3: sequences required for puffing and transcriptional regulation. Dev Biol 118:593-607
Crosby, M A; Meyerowitz, E M (1986) Lethal mutations flanking the 68C glue gene cluster on chromosome 3 of Drosophila melanogaster. Genetics 112:785-802
Raghavan, K V; Crosby, M A; Mathers, P H et al. (1986) Sequences sufficient for correct regulation of Sgs-3 lie close to or within the gene. EMBO J 5:3321-6
Meyerowitz, E M; Crosby, M A; Garfinkel, M D et al. (1985) The 68C glue puff of Drosophila. Cold Spring Harb Symp Quant Biol 50:347-53