Oh, C.E., McMahon, R., Benzer, S., Tanouye, M.A. (1994). bendless, a Drosophila gene affecting neuronal connectivity, encodes a ubiquitin-conjugating enzyme homolog. J. Neurosci. 14(5 Pt. 2): 3166--3179.
FlyBase ID
FBrf0074062
Publication Type
Research paper
Abstract
The Drosophila bendless (ben) gene was originally isolated as a mutation affecting the escape jump response. This behavioral defect was ascribed to a single lesion affecting the connectivity between the giant fiber and the tergotrochanter motor neuron. A closer examination of the ben phenotype suggests that ben activity is broader and affects a variety of other neurons including photoreceptor cells and their axons. Mosaic analysis indicates that the focus of ben activity is presynaptic. We have cloned the ben gene through a chromosomal walk and show that it is homologous to a class of ubiquitin-conjugating enzymes. The major role of ubiquitination in the protein degradative pathway suggests that ben regulates neural developmental processes such as growth cone guidance by targeting specific proteins for degradation.
