9317997 Richmond This research will use fruitflies of the genus, Drosophila, to study the kind and amount of variation at the molecular level in natural populations of this organism. The long term goals of this work are to characterize molecular variation in the structural and regulatory regions of genes that code for the structure of enzymes that degrade ester compounds. These enzymes are called carboxylesterases. This work will help to identify the kinds of changes that occur in DNA and that result in differences in the timing in expression and the location within the organism of carboxylesterases. The immediate goals of this research will be to complete precise analyses of the DNA sequences responsible for the regulation of a specific carboxylesterases gene, Est-6, in Drosophila melangaster and a related gene, Est-5, in D.pseudoobscura. We also plan to determine if individuals from natural populations of D. melangaster differ from each other in the DNA sequences that control the expression of the Est-6 gene in this species. We will use recombinant DNA technologies to clone and manipulate esterase gene sequences by transferring engineered gene sequences into special strains of Drosophila embryos. This work will help us to determine how the forces of evolution act to mold variation at the molecular level into adapted complexes of genes. ! / 7 A ! ! F ( Times New Roman Symbol & Arial : : " h c e c e - X 7 Crystal Blackshear Crystal Blackshear
