Steroid hormones are useful tools for studying the control of gene expression in eukaryotic organisms. Ecdysone is the steroid molting hormone in insects which helps to regulate the developmental changes that occur during the insect's life cycle. A gene from Drosophila, E74 which responds to ecdysone in a primary manner and which is believed to regulate the expression of other genes has been isolated. How this gene is regulated by ecdysone and how the product of this gene, in turn, regulates other genes are the goals of this research project. Sequences from putative regulatory regions of this gene isolated from several Drosophila species will be compared and conserved regions identified. Understanding the mechanisms involved in the regulation of this gene by ecdysone and, in turn, the mechanism(s) where by the product of this gene regulates other genes are admirable goals. While it is unlikely that a full understanding of these mechanisms will result from this project to be carried out at an undergraduate institution, many undergraduates will be introduced to a high level of basic research and some factual information relevant to the stated goals should be obtained.***//
