Rai, Mamta and Nongthomba, Upendra (2011) Transcription factor erect wing (EWG) is involved in indirect flight muscle patterning, development and maintenance in Drosophila. In: 52nd Annual Drosophila Meeting (sponsored by Genetics Society of America), March 30 - April 3, 2011, San Dieago, California, USA.
Full text not available from this repository. (Request a copy)Abstract
Muscle development is a multistep process which includes myoblast diversification, proliferation, migration, fusion, differentiation and growth. A hierarchical exhibition of myogenic factors is important for dexterous execution of progressive events in muscle formation. EWG (erect wing) is a transcription factor known to have a role in indirect flight muscle development (IFM) in Drosophila. We marked out the precise spatio-temporal expression profile of EWG in the myoblasts, and in the developing muscles. Mutant adult flies null for EWG in myoblasts show variable number of IFM, suggesting that EWG is required for patterning of the IFM. The remnant muscle found in the EWG null flies show proper assembly of the structural proteins, which implies that some myoblasts manage to fuse, develop and differentiate normally indicating that EWG is not required for differentiation program per se. However, when EWG expression is extended beyond its expression window in a wild type background, muscle thinning is observed implying EWG function in protein synthesis inhibition. Mis-expression studies in wing disc myoblasts hinted at its role in myoblast proliferation. We thus conclude that EWG is important for regulating fusion events which in turn decides the IFM pattern. Also IFM in EWG null mutants show clumps containing broken fibres and an altered mitochondrial morphology. The vertebrate homolog of EWG is nuclear respiratory factor1 (NRF1) which is known to have a function in mitochondrial biogenesis and protection against oxidative stress. Gene expression for inner mitochondrial membrane protein, Opa1-like was found to be absent in these mutants. Also, these flies were more sensitive to oxidative stress, indicating a compromised mitochondrial functioning. Our results therefore demonstrate that EWG functions in maintaining muscles’ structural integrity by ensuing proper mitochondrial activity.
| Item Type: | Conference Paper |
|---|---|
| Publisher: | Genetics Society of America |
| Additional Information: | Copyright of this article belongs to Genetics Society of America. |
| Department/Centre: | Division of Biological Sciences > Molecular Reproduction, Development & Genetics |
| Date Deposited: | 07 Mar 2013 04:44 |
| Last Modified: | 07 Mar 2013 04:48 |
| URI: | http://eprints.iisc.ac.in/id/eprint/45878 |
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