Abstract 9806127 Stewart The control of cell growth involves a number of processes to which protein synthesis is central. The broad term objectives of this research are to understand the mechanisms of cell signaling that lead to the regulation of protein synthesis and cell growth. Drosophila melanogaster will be used as a model system in these studies since many cellular components involved in protein synthesis are highly conserved between flies and mammals. In mammalian cells, the p70 ribosomal protein S6 kinase, p70 S6K, lies on a cellular signaling pathway that ultimately leads to alterations in protein synthesis. The Drosophila p70 ribosmal protein S6kinase homologue and mutations affecting this gene have recently been identified. Site directed mutations of this gene will be made and transgenic flies bearing mutant versions of this gene will be generated. This POWRE award will permit the PI to learn and establish the technique of microinjection into embryos required for transformation, and to perform pilot experiments. *** This is a POWRE award which will enable the investigator to learn and establish the necessary techniques to make transgenic flies expressing mutants of a protein critical in protozoon synthesis and other cellular processes. This will enable further experiments to determine it role.
