Size, shape and growth of organisms are determined by the number and size of cells in constituent organs. Cell number is determined as the balance of cell proliferation and cell death (apoptosis). Defects in proliferative control are central to malignancy. Apoptosis is a central feature of heart attack, stroke, and degenerative diseases. There is substantial molecular understanding of intracellular cell cycle and death programs. In vivo regulation must be achieved through extracellular signals which are little understood. Such regulation is probably absent from normal and transformed cells in culture, but can be studied in vivo using the fruitfly Drosophila melanogaster as a model system. In the fruitfly, imaginal disc size is maintained by a homeostatic mechanism called cell competition. Excessive growth on the part of some cells is compensated for by reduced growth and loss of other nearby cells. Deficient growth by some cells always leads to enhanced growth by their neighbors. The molecular and cellular basis of cell competition is unknown. A genetic screen has been developed to identify genes required for cell competition. The role of such genes in growth and homeostasis will be defined through studies of cell proliferation, cell survival and cell size, in part using a new reagent specific for the apoptotic pathway. The molecular identity and role of particular genes in cell competition will be determined. These studies will provide the first genetic and molecular understanding of cell competition. These studies will contribute to basic understanding of the spatial control of growth in vivo and identify genes and pathways that may be important in the cause, prevention , or treatment of heart attack, stroke, cancer, and degenerative diseases.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS)
Type
Research Project (R01)
Project #
5R01GM061230-04
Application #
6701765
Study Section
Cell Development and Function Integrated Review Group (CDF)
Program Officer
Zatz, Marion M
Project Start
2001-02-01
Project End
2006-01-31
Budget Start
2004-02-01
Budget End
2006-01-31
Support Year
4
Fiscal Year
2004
Total Cost
$300,600
Indirect Cost
Name
Albert Einstein College of Medicine
Department
Genetics
Type
Schools of Medicine
DUNS #
110521739
City
Bronx
State
NY
Country
United States
Zip Code
10461
Baker, Nicholas E; Kale, Abhijit (2016) Mutations in ribosomal proteins: Apoptosis, cell competition, and cancer. Mol Cell Oncol 3:e1029065
Fullard, John F; Baker, Nicholas E (2015) Signaling by the engulfment receptor draper: a screen in Drosophila melanogaster implicates cytoskeletal regulators, Jun N-terminal Kinase, and Yorkie. Genetics 199:117-34
Kale, A; Li, W; Lee, C-H et al. (2015) Apoptotic mechanisms during competition of ribosomal protein mutant cells: roles of the initiator caspases Dronc and Dream/Strica. Cell Death Differ 22:1300-12
Sidyelyeva, Galyna; Wegener, Christian; Schoenfeld, Brian P et al. (2010) Individual carboxypeptidase D domains have both redundant and unique functions in Drosophila development and behavior. Cell Mol Life Sci 67:2991-3004
Firth, Lucy C; Bhattacharya, Abhishek; Baker, Nicholas E (2010) Cell cycle arrest by a gradient of Dpp signaling during Drosophila eye development. BMC Dev Biol 10:28
Li, Wei; Kale, Abhijit; Baker, Nicholas E (2009) Oriented cell division as a response to cell death and cell competition. Curr Biol 19:1821-6
Fullard, John F; Kale, Abhijit; Baker, Nicholas E (2009) Clearance of apoptotic corpses. Apoptosis 14:1029-37
Li, Wei; Baker, Nicholas E (2007) The active role of corpse engulfment pathways during cell competition. Fly (Austin) 1:274-8
Tyler, David M; Baker, Nicholas E (2007) Expanded and fat regulate growth and differentiation in the Drosophila eye through multiple signaling pathways. Dev Biol 305:187-201
Tyler, David M; Li, Wei; Zhuo, Ning et al. (2007) Genes affecting cell competition in Drosophila. Genetics 175:643-57

Showing the most recent 10 out of 15 publications