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Identifier

000426901

Title

The role of the transcription factor HEY in the developing midgut of Drosophila melanogaster

Alternative Title

Ο ρόλος του μεταγραφικού παράγοντα ΗΕΥ στο αναπτυσσόμενο μεσέντερο της δροσόφιλας

Author

Σκαφίδα, Αιμιλία Π.

Thesis advisor

Δελιδάκης, Χρήστος

Abstract

Hey proteins are transcription factors that belong to the basic helix-loop-helix ‘Orange’ (bHLH-O) protein group and they are often effectors of the Notch signaling pathway. Although extensive studies about them have been done in mammalian, little is known about the role of their single orthologue in Drosophila so far. Briefly, Drosophila Hey gene has been characterized as one of the alternative neuronal fate determinants in the developing CNS. Its expression and function in the majority of neuronal lineages is dependent on Notch signaling although few case of Notch independent expression have been described. It has been, also, characterized as identity guardian of the fully differentiated enterocytes in the adult fly midgut independently of Notch. We have studied its expression and functional role in the developing midgut of Drosophila. Unlike its expression pattern in adult fly, we detected Hey mainly in entero-endocrine cell population of the embryonic and larval midgut. In this developmental context, Hey is a direct target of Notch signalling, revealing a novel Notch event in the midgut development. Hey expression seems to follow every entero- endocrine generation wave throughout embryonic and larval life. Furthermore, functional analysis has demonstrated its high association with enteroendocrine fate and maintenance, while a few indications support its putative connection with the development of adult midgut precursors, the population which gives rise to the adult intestinal stem cells. Moreover, in a regulatory analysis context, we deleted the region of the intronic enhancer located in the endogenous sequence of Drosophila melanogaster Hey gene. Viable flies in homozygosity for the mutant Hey allele have shown a redundancy of Hey regulatory elements.

Language

English

Subject

Drosophila

Midgut

Notch signalling

Notch σηματοδότηση

Transcription factor

Issue date

2019-11-29

Collection

School/Department--School of Sciences and Engineering--Department of Biology--Post-graduate theses