Genetic Dissection of DH31 Signaling in Drosophila

Dh31, which is homologous to the mammalian Calcitonin Gene-Related Peptide, is a multifunctional neuropeptide in Drosophila. To evaluate the roles of Dh31 signaling in Drosophila, we took advantage of the KG09001 line because it has a transposable element inserted in the third intron of the Dh31 gene. We employed an excision screen to mobilize the element and generated 500 excision lines. Evaluation of these excision lines led to the identification of a revertant, Dh31rev, and two mutant alleles, Dh3101 and Dh3102. Subsequent analysis of these alleles indicated that revertant lines exhibited wild type responses to osmotic and starvation stress, whereas mutant lines were hypersensitive to stress-inducing conditions. Expression analysis of Dh31 in both larval and adult CNS showed that mutant alleles had no DH31 immunoreactivity, while revertant lines appeared wild-type for Dh31 expression. Locomotor analysis of mutant lines demonstrated abnormal locomotor phenotypes under both normal and stress conditions. Provocatively, RNAi knockdown of the receptor for DH31, resulted in a phenocopy of lifespan phenotypes, but not locomotor phenotypes. Our results refine our understanding of the multiple roles of Dh31 signaling in Drosophila, and suggest a conservation of CGRP signaling in mediating stress behaviors throughout the Metazoa.

Grantor dc:publisher

Wake Forest University

Year dc:date.issued

2009

Author dc:creator

• Bretz, Colin

• Drosophila

Language dc:language.iso

en_US

Handle dc:identifier.uri

http://hdl.handle.net/10339/14900

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:wakespace.lib.wfu.edu:10339/14900