The goals of our research are to understand the molecular basis for the tissue specific control of gene expression. To accomplish these goals we are studying the origin and expression of a duplication of the Adh locus in D. mojavensis and other related species. We are specifically focusing on several changes in gene expression which have evolved since the origin of the duplication. The first of these is the expression of Adh-1 in the ovary of D. mojavensis and D. arizonensis. We will compare the nucleotide sequence of the Adh locus in these two species with their two closest relatives, D. mulleri and """"""""species N"""""""", that do not express Adh-1 in the ovary. We will identify potential regions of the DNA which could be relevant to ovary expression and test their functional role using P element mediated transformation. We will extend our studies on Adh-1 regulation to characterize the polymorphism of Adh-1 expression in regions of the larval gut. Lines will be constructed which breed true for alternate patterns of gut Adh-1 expression and the correlation which appears to exist between gut expression and restriction fragments which include the 5' region of the Adh-1 gene will be studied in a genetic analysis. We will extend our studies to the origin of the Adh duplication and alternate expression patterns to other species in which we have already documented patterns of Adh expression which are different from the usual pattern of expression found in species with two Adh genes. These analyses will also contribute to our knowledge about the origin of the duplication. Additional experiments aimed at understanding the origin of the duplication will be conducted. Finally we are interested in providing information related to the hypothesis that major events of evolution are changes in regulatory information. To accomplish this, experiments will be conducted to determine if any of the altered patterns of Adh-1 expression that have been observed i.e. ovary expression or gut expression, can be associated with an adaptively significant function.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS)
Type
Research Project (R01)
Project #
2R01GM031857-04
Application #
3280255
Study Section
Mammalian Genetics Study Section (MGN)
Project Start
1983-04-01
Project End
1991-03-31
Budget Start
1986-04-01
Budget End
1987-03-31
Support Year
4
Fiscal Year
1986
Total Cost
Indirect Cost
Name
Syracuse University
Department
Type
Schools of Arts and Sciences
DUNS #
City
Syracuse
State
NY
Country
United States
Zip Code
13210
Sullivan, D T; Starmer, W T; Curtiss, S W et al. (1994) Unusual molecular evolution of an Adh pseudogene in Drosophila. Mol Biol Evol 11:443-58
Bayer, C A; Curtiss, S W; Weaver, J A et al. (1992) Delineation of cis-acting sequences required for expression of Drosophila mojavensis Adh-1. Genetics 131:143-53
Yum, J S; Starmer, W T; Sullivan, D T (1991) The structure of the Adh locus of Drosophila mettleri: an intermediate in the evolution of the Adh locus in the repleta group of Drosophila. Mol Biol Evol 8:857-67
Menotti-Raymond, M; Starmer, W T; Sullivan, D T (1991) Characterization of the structure and evolution of the Adh region of Drosophila hydei. Genetics 127:355-66
Weaver, J R; Andrews, J M; Sullivan, D T (1989) Nucleotide sequence of the Adh-1 gene of Drosophila navojoa. Nucleic Acids Res 17:7524
Starmer, W T; Sullivan, D T (1989) A shift in the third-codon-position nucleotide frequency in alcohol dehydrogenase genes in the genus Drosophila. Mol Biol Evol 6:546-52
Atkinson, P W; Mills, L E; Starmer, W T et al. (1988) Structure and evolution of the Adh genes of Drosophila mojavensis. Genetics 120:713-23
Mills, L E; Batterham, P; Alegre, J et al. (1986) Molecular genetic characterization of a locus that contains duplicate Adh genes in Drosophila mojavensis and related species. Genetics 112:295-310