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Journal ArticleDOI

Targeted gene expression as a means of altering cell fates and generating dominant phenotypes.

Andrea H. Brand, +1 more
- 01 Jun 1993 - 
- Vol. 118, Iss: 2, pp 401-415
TLDR
The GAL4 system, a system for targeted gene expression that allows the selective activation of any cloned gene in a wide variety of tissue- and cell-specific patterns, has been designed and used to expand the domain of embryonic expression of the homeobox protein even-skipped.
Abstract
We have designed a system for targeted gene expression that allows the selective activation of any cloned gene in a wide variety of tissue- and cell-specific patterns. The gene encoding the yeast transcriptional activator GAL4 is inserted randomly into the Drosophila genome to drive GAL4 expression from one of a diverse array of genomic enhancers. It is then possible to introduce a gene containing GAL4 binding sites within its promoter, to activate it in those cells where GAL4 is expressed, and to observe the effect of this directed misexpression on development. We have used GAL4-directed transcription to expand the domain of embryonic expression of the homeobox protein even-skipped. We show that even-skipped represses wingless and transforms cells that would normally secrete naked cuticle into denticle secreting cells. The GAL4 system can thus be used to study regulatory interactions during embryonic development. In adults, targeted expression can be used to generate dominant phenotypes for use in genetic screens. We have directed expression of an activated form of the Dras2 protein, resulting in dominant eye and wing defects that can be used in screens to identify other members of the Dras2 signal transduction pathway.

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Citations
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Journal ArticleDOI

Temperature-sensitive control of protein activity by conditionally splicing inteins

TL;DR: Gal80-inteinTS is able to efficiently provide temporal regulation of the Gal4/upstream activation sequence (UAS) system in a temperature-dependent manner in Drosophila melanogaster and has the potential to allow the generation and use of conditionally active inteins in multiple host proteins and model systems.
Journal ArticleDOI

Bilateral olfactory sensory input enhances chemotaxis behavior.

TL;DR: New spectroscopic methods to create stable odorant gradients in which odor concentrations were experimentally measured observed that a single functional neuron provided sufficient information to permit larval chemotaxis, and found additional evidence that the overall accuracy of navigation is enhanced by the increase in the signal-to-noise ratio conferred by bilateral sensory input.
Journal ArticleDOI

Drosophila hemolectin gene is expressed in embryonic and larval hemocytes and its knock down causes bleeding defects

TL;DR: In this paper, two transgenic lines (hml-GAL4 and UAS-hmlRNAi) were established to characterize Drosophila hemolectin (Hml) localization and function, and it was observed that Hml is specifically expressed in embryonic and in larval hemocytes.
Journal ArticleDOI

A role for Drosophila SMC4 in the resolution of sister chromatids in mitosis

TL;DR: It is demonstrated that the SMC4 subunit of condensin is encoded by the essential gluon locus in Drosophila and is critically important for the resolution of sister chromatids during mitosis prior to anaphase onset.
Journal ArticleDOI

A versatile in vivo system for directed dissection of gene expression patterns

TL;DR: A convertible genetic platform, the integrase swappable in vivo targeting element (InSITE) system, that allows GAL4 to be replaced with any other sequence, placing different genetic effectors under the control of the same regulatory elements.
References
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Book

The Genome of Drosophila Melanogaster

TL;DR: Chromosomes: Deficiencies, Inversions, and Transposable Elements.
Book

The Embryonic Development of Drosophila melanogaster

TL;DR: Stages of Drosophila Embryogenesis, some Aspects of Segmentation, and a Fate Map of the Blastoderm are described.
Journal ArticleDOI

How eukaryotic transcriptional activators work

TL;DR: A specific protein, bound to DNA, can activate transcription of a wide array of genes in many eukaryotes and is controlled by the immune system.
Journal ArticleDOI

A stable genomic source of P element transposase in Drosophila melanogaster.

TL;DR: A single P element insert in Drosophila melanogaster, called P[ry+ delta 2-3](99B), is described that caused mobilization of other elements at unusually high frequencies, yet is itself remarkably stable.
Book

Drosophila: A Practical Approach

D. B. Roberts
TL;DR: The localisation of RNAs in drosophila tissue sections by in situ hybridisation injecting eggs P element-mediated transformation and Methods of marking cells Cell surface antigens Preparation of nucleic acids.
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