| Citation |
Abdelilah-Seyfried, S., Chan, Y.M., Zeng, C., Justice, N.J., Younger-Shepherd, S., Sharp, L.E., Barbel, S., Meadows, S.A., Jan, L.Y., Jan, Y.N. (2000). A gain-of-function screen for genes that affect the development of the Drosophila adult external sensory organ. Genetics 155(2): 733--752. |
| PubMed Abstract |
The Drosophila adult external sensory organ, comprising a neuron and its support cells, is derived from a single precursor
cell via several asymmetric cell divisions. To identify molecules involved in sensory organ development, we conducted a tissue-specific
gain-of-function screen. We screened 2293 independent P-element lines established by P. Rorth and identified 105 lines, carrying
insertions at 78 distinct loci, that produced misexpression phenotypes with changes in number, fate, or morphology of cells
of the adult external sensory organ. On the basis of the gain-of-function phenotypes of both internal and external support
cells, we subdivided the candidate lines into three classes. The first class (52 lines, 40 loci) exhibits partial or complete
loss of adult external sensory organs. The second class (38 lines, 28 loci) is associated with increased numbers of entire
adult external sensory organs or subsets of sensory organ cells. The third class (15 lines, 10 loci) results in potential
cell fate transformations. Genetic and molecular characterization of these candidate lines reveals that some loci identified
in this screen correspond to genes known to function in the formation of the peripheral nervous system, such as big brain,
extra macrochaetae, and numb. Also emerging from the screen are a large group of previously uncharacterized genes and several
known genes that have not yet been implicated in the development of the peripheral nervous system.
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