 | Jeffrey Uribe City College of New York-CUNY (Biology '08)Mentor(s)Kenneth D. Irvine, Ph.D. Cordelia Rauskolb, Ph.D. Waksman Institute of Microbiology Rutgers University |
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| Mapping M20, a developmental gene required for Notch signaling in Drosophila | ||
| During development, cell communication, cell fate and pattern formation are extremely important parameters in many organisms. Notch, a trans-membrane receptor in the Notch pathway, mediates local cell-cell signaling communication and growth and patterning of cell in all animals. With the knowledge of all genes important for development, particularly the Notch pathway, neuro-developmental disorders as well as many cancers may someday be regulated or prevented. A newly discovered mutation on the left arm of the third chromosome in Drosophila (referred to as M20) results in a loss of Notch signaling which includes loss of wingless expression at the dorsal-ventral compartment boundary in the wing imaginal disc. There are two mutations found on this chromosome, but which is responsible for the Notch phenotype is unknown. A combination of genetics, biochemistry, and mosaics techniques are being used to separate the gene important in the Notch pathway from the other lethal mutation on the M20 chromosome. Mutant clones will also be made to examine the M20 phenotype. |