{"id":{"repo_id":"soton","oai_identifier":"oai:eprints.soton.ac.uk:179761"},"canonical_url":"https://search.dev.ndltd.org/etd/soton/oai:eprints.soton.ac.uk:179761","repository":{"repo_id":"soton","name":"University of Southampton","base_url":"https://eprints.soton.ac.uk/cgi/oai2"},"display":{"title":"Characterising the Drosophila extracellular superoxide Dismutase gene","abstract":"The indiscriminate action of reactive oxygen species (ROS), if left unregulated, has<br/>long been considered contributory to a range of disease processes within the animal<br/>kingdom and is also a factor associated with ageing. Consequently modifying the<br/>molecular mechanisms that regulate ROS levels may prove therapeutic and could also<br/>positively affect longevity. One of the key components of this machinery is the<br/>superoxide dismutase (SOD) family of enzymes which regulate ROS levels by<br/>scavenging the ROS superoxide. Mammals have three distinct SOD enzymes each<br/>responsible for managing superoxide levels in different cellular compartments. In<br/>Drosophila homologues of two of the mammalian SODs, the intracellular (SOD1) and<br/>mitochondrial (SOD2) SODs, have been identified and studied extensively<br/>demonstrating a clear link between SOD and oxidative protection and survival.<br/>Recently the sequence of a third sod gene, homologous to both the relatively poorly<br/>characterised mammalian (sod3) and C. elegans (sod-4) extracellular sod, was<br/>identified in Drosophila and is also predicted to locate extracellularly (sod3). To date,<br/>no (published) work has been carried out to assess the role of sod3 within insects. This<br/>thesis reports the molecular and biochemical characteristics of sod3 in Drosophila.<br/>Detailed within are the steps taken to clone the sod3 gene which appears to be<br/>expressed as two gene products formed by alternative splicing. Furthermore, a<br/>combination of gene expression, proteomic and functional analysis of a number of sod<br/>mutants was used to: i) reveal sex specific sod gene expression; ii) validate a sod3<br/>hypomorph mutant; iii) indicate a functional role for sod3 in protection against H2O2<br/>induced oxidative stress; iv) suggest a SOD1-SOD3 co-dependency for maintaining Cu<br/>Zn SOD activity; v) demonstrate the appearance of genetic modifiers in the sod3<br/>hypomorph. The findings of this report and further studies on the Drosophila sod3 gene<br/>should encourage the re-evaluation of the previous work concerning SOD’s influence<br/>on disease states and lifespan regulation.","abstract_html":"The indiscriminate action of reactive oxygen species (ROS), if left unregulated, has&lt;br/&gt;long been considered contributory to a range of disease processes within the animal&lt;br/&gt;kingdom and is also a factor associated with ageing. Consequently modifying the&lt;br/&gt;molecular mechanisms that regulate ROS levels may prove therapeutic and could also&lt;br/&gt;positively affect longevity. One of the key components of this machinery is the&lt;br/&gt;superoxide dismutase (SOD) family of enzymes which regulate ROS levels by&lt;br/&gt;scavenging the ROS superoxide. Mammals have three distinct SOD enzymes each&lt;br/&gt;responsible for managing superoxide levels in different cellular compartments. In&lt;br/&gt;Drosophila homologues of two of the mammalian SODs, the intracellular (SOD1) and&lt;br/&gt;mitochondrial (SOD2) SODs, have been identified and studied extensively&lt;br/&gt;demonstrating a clear link between SOD and oxidative protection and survival.&lt;br/&gt;Recently the sequence of a third sod gene, homologous to both the relatively poorly&lt;br/&gt;characterised mammalian (sod3) and C. elegans (sod-4) extracellular sod, was&lt;br/&gt;identified in Drosophila and is also predicted to locate extracellularly (sod3). To date,&lt;br/&gt;no (published) work has been carried out to assess the role of sod3 within insects. This&lt;br/&gt;thesis reports the molecular and biochemical characteristics of sod3 in Drosophila.&lt;br/&gt;Detailed within are the steps taken to clone the sod3 gene which appears to be&lt;br/&gt;expressed as two gene products formed by alternative splicing. Furthermore, a&lt;br/&gt;combination of gene expression, proteomic and functional analysis of a number of sod&lt;br/&gt;mutants was used to: i) reveal sex specific sod gene expression; ii) validate a sod3&lt;br/&gt;hypomorph mutant; iii) indicate a functional role for sod3 in protection against H2O2&lt;br/&gt;induced oxidative stress; iv) suggest a SOD1-SOD3 co-dependency for maintaining Cu&lt;br/&gt;Zn SOD activity; v) demonstrate the appearance of genetic modifiers in the sod3&lt;br/&gt;hypomorph. The findings of this report and further studies on the Drosophila sod3 gene&lt;br/&gt;should encourage the re-evaluation of the previous work concerning SOD’s influence&lt;br/&gt;on disease states and lifespan regulation.","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Blackney, Michael James"],"institution":"University of Southampton","degree_name":"Ph.D.","degree_level":"doctoral","degree_discipline":null,"degree_department":null,"school":null,"contributors":[],"advisors":["Parker, Joel"],"committee_chairs":[],"committee_members":[],"year":2010,"date_issued":"2010-09","date_published":"2010-09","updated_at":"2026-07-24T04:36:25Z","subjects":[],"languages":[],"rights":[],"rights_urls":[],"identifier_entries":[]},"links":{"outbound_url":null,"outbound_label":null,"outbound_source":null},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:contributor.advisor","label":"Advisor","values":["Parker, Joel"]},{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["Blackney, Michael James"]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"dc:date","label":"Dc Date","values":["2010-09-30"]},{"key":"dc:date.issued","label":"Date","values":["2010-09"]},{"key":"dc:publisher.department","label":"Dc Publisher Department","values":["Biological Sciences (pre 2011 reorg)","School of Biological Sciences"]},{"key":"dc:publisher.institution","label":"Dc Publisher Institution","values":["University of Southampton"]},{"key":"dc:relation.isreferencedby","label":"Dc Relation Isreferencedby","values":["https://eprints.soton.ac.uk/179761/"]},{"key":"dc:type","label":"Dc Type","values":["Thesis"]},{"key":"dc:type.qualificationlevel","label":"Dc Type Qualificationlevel","values":["doctoral"]},{"key":"dc:type.qualificationname","label":"Dc Type Qualificationname","values":["Ph.D."]}]},{"id":"identifiers","label":"Identifiers","entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier.uri","label":"Identifier URI","values":["https://eprints.soton.ac.uk/179761/1/MBlackney_PhD_Final_thesis.pdf"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description.abstract","label":"Abstract","values":["The indiscriminate action of reactive oxygen species (ROS), if left unregulated, has<br/>long been considered contributory to a range of disease processes within the animal<br/>kingdom and is also a factor associated with ageing. Consequently modifying the<br/>molecular mechanisms that regulate ROS levels may prove therapeutic and could also<br/>positively affect longevity. One of the key components of this machinery is the<br/>superoxide dismutase (SOD) family of enzymes which regulate ROS levels by<br/>scavenging the ROS superoxide. Mammals have three distinct SOD enzymes each<br/>responsible for managing superoxide levels in different cellular compartments. In<br/>Drosophila homologues of two of the mammalian SODs, the intracellular (SOD1) and<br/>mitochondrial (SOD2) SODs, have been identified and studied extensively<br/>demonstrating a clear link between SOD and oxidative protection and survival.<br/>Recently the sequence of a third sod gene, homologous to both the relatively poorly<br/>characterised mammalian (sod3) and C. elegans (sod-4) extracellular sod, was<br/>identified in Drosophila and is also predicted to locate extracellularly (sod3). To date,<br/>no (published) work has been carried out to assess the role of sod3 within insects. This<br/>thesis reports the molecular and biochemical characteristics of sod3 in Drosophila.<br/>Detailed within are the steps taken to clone the sod3 gene which appears to be<br/>expressed as two gene products formed by alternative splicing. Furthermore, a<br/>combination of gene expression, proteomic and functional analysis of a number of sod<br/>mutants was used to: i) reveal sex specific sod gene expression; ii) validate a sod3<br/>hypomorph mutant; iii) indicate a functional role for sod3 in protection against H2O2<br/>induced oxidative stress; iv) suggest a SOD1-SOD3 co-dependency for maintaining Cu<br/>Zn SOD activity; v) demonstrate the appearance of genetic modifiers in the sod3<br/>hypomorph. The findings of this report and further studies on the Drosophila sod3 gene<br/>should encourage the re-evaluation of the previous work concerning SOD’s influence<br/>on disease states and lifespan regulation."]},{"key":"dc:format","label":"Dc Format","values":["text"]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["Characterising the Drosophila extracellular superoxide Dismutase gene"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:contributor.advisor":["Parker, Joel"],"dc:creator":["Blackney, Michael James"],"dc:date":["2010-09-30"],"dc:date.issued":["2010-09"],"dc:description.abstract":["The indiscriminate action of reactive oxygen species (ROS), if left unregulated, has<br/>long been considered contributory to a range of disease processes within the animal<br/>kingdom and is also a factor associated with ageing. Consequently modifying the<br/>molecular mechanisms that regulate ROS levels may prove therapeutic and could also<br/>positively affect longevity. One of the key components of this machinery is the<br/>superoxide dismutase (SOD) family of enzymes which regulate ROS levels by<br/>scavenging the ROS superoxide. Mammals have three distinct SOD enzymes each<br/>responsible for managing superoxide levels in different cellular compartments. In<br/>Drosophila homologues of two of the mammalian SODs, the intracellular (SOD1) and<br/>mitochondrial (SOD2) SODs, have been identified and studied extensively<br/>demonstrating a clear link between SOD and oxidative protection and survival.<br/>Recently the sequence of a third sod gene, homologous to both the relatively poorly<br/>characterised mammalian (sod3) and C. elegans (sod-4) extracellular sod, was<br/>identified in Drosophila and is also predicted to locate extracellularly (sod3). To date,<br/>no (published) work has been carried out to assess the role of sod3 within insects. This<br/>thesis reports the molecular and biochemical characteristics of sod3 in Drosophila.<br/>Detailed within are the steps taken to clone the sod3 gene which appears to be<br/>expressed as two gene products formed by alternative splicing. Furthermore, a<br/>combination of gene expression, proteomic and functional analysis of a number of sod<br/>mutants was used to: i) reveal sex specific sod gene expression; ii) validate a sod3<br/>hypomorph mutant; iii) indicate a functional role for sod3 in protection against H2O2<br/>induced oxidative stress; iv) suggest a SOD1-SOD3 co-dependency for maintaining Cu<br/>Zn SOD activity; v) demonstrate the appearance of genetic modifiers in the sod3<br/>hypomorph. The findings of this report and further studies on the Drosophila sod3 gene<br/>should encourage the re-evaluation of the previous work concerning SOD’s influence<br/>on disease states and lifespan regulation."],"dc:format":["text"],"dc:identifier.uri":["https://eprints.soton.ac.uk/179761/1/MBlackney_PhD_Final_thesis.pdf"],"dc:publisher.department":["Biological Sciences (pre 2011 reorg)","School of Biological Sciences"],"dc:publisher.institution":["University of Southampton"],"dc:relation.isreferencedby":["https://eprints.soton.ac.uk/179761/"],"dc:title":["Characterising the Drosophila extracellular superoxide Dismutase gene"],"dc:type":["Thesis"],"dc:type.qualificationlevel":["doctoral"],"dc:type.qualificationname":["Ph.D."]},"updated_at":"2026-07-24T04:36:25Z"}