Flies from genus Glossina are vectors of trypanosomiasis in sub-Saharan Africa. These flies are viviparous (give birth to live young) and reproduce slowly. Thus, reproduction may be a good target for control of Glossina. During its reproductive cycle, the fly expresses genes coding for proteins used for generation of the developing oocyte and nourishment for the developing larvae. However, little is known about the reproductive biology of tsetse at the molecular level. I propose to identify and perform a detailed molecular characterization of representative reproductive genes and their products. Understanding of when, where and how these genes and proteins are expressed and function will provide fundamental information regarding reproduction in Glossina. This information can be used as a foundation from which factors affecting oogenesis and larval development in the fly can be studied. This base of knowledge will be compared against the effects of various physiological conditions upon molecular regulation of reproduction in Glossina. Study of reproduction in Glossina and the factors that regulate it would greatly expand understanding of Glossina molecular biology and also potentially illuminate targets for vector control strategies. ? ? ?
