The guardians of cell fate: protective mechanisms that ensure proper cell fate and patterning during imaginal disc regeneration in drosophila

Regenerating tissue must replace lost structures with cells of the proper identity and pattern in order to restore function. This thesis will describe two major insights into how patterning and cell fate is maintained and restored during the late phases of regeneration in the wing imaginal disc of Drosophila. First, the identification of taranis as a regeneration-specific patterning gene and its subsequent characterization as a factor that is required to protect the regenerating cells in the wing imaginal disc from inappropriate posterior to anterior cell fate changes that are induced by the powerful JNK signaling cascade at the wound misregulating the expression of engrailed. The other chapter will detail the identification of the pioneer transcription factor Zelda as being upstream of taranis expression during regeneration. Zelda is found to be expressed at the same place and time as Taranis, and reduction of Zelda levels results in profound anterior and posterior patterning defects. Speculation is provided suggesting that Zelda may also be essential for the large developmental transition from a program devoted to regenerative growth to the repatterning phase that allows for the restoration of cell fate and patterning genes that was lost earlier in regeneration. This work describes identification of a novel gene regulatory network essential for patterning and cell fate during regeneration.

Name thesis:degree_name

Ph.D.

Level thesis:degree_level

Dissertation

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Cell and Developmental Biology

Grantor

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Year dc:date

2018

Author dc:creator

• Schuster, Keaton Jay

Contributors dc:contributor

• Smith-Bolton, Rachel K
• Stubbs, Lisa J.
• Mizzen, Craig
• Raetzman, Lori T.

• Regeneration, Cell Fate, Patterning, Drosophila

Statement dc:rights

• Copyright 2018 Keaton Schuster

Language dc:language

en

Handle dc:identifier

http://hdl.handle.net/2142/101694

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:www.ideals.illinois.edu:2142/101694