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Wolf MJ, Rockman HA. Drosophila melanogaster as a model system for genetics of postnatal cardiac function. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2008; 5:117-123. [PMID: 19802348 DOI: 10.1016/j.ddmod.2009.02.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
The fruit fly, Drosophila melanogaster, is an excellent model system that has a vast set of molecular tools and mutants to dissect the genetic pathways that are responsible for the normal and abnormal cardiac function. While the majority of studies have focused on heart development in the Drosophila embryo, attention has recently focused on the structure and function of the adult fly heart as a model of human heart failure. Here we review strategies to identify novel genes and pathways that cause or modify dilated cardiomyopathy in adult Drosophila.
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Kucherenko MM, Pantoja M, Yatsenko AS, Shcherbata HR, Fischer KA, Maksymiv DV, Chernyk YI, Ruohola-Baker H. Genetic modifier screens reveal new components that interact with the Drosophila dystroglycan-dystrophin complex. PLoS One 2008; 3:e2418. [PMID: 18545683 PMCID: PMC2398783 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0002418] [Citation(s) in RCA: 55] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2008] [Accepted: 04/14/2008] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
The Dystroglycan-Dystrophin (Dg-Dys) complex has a capacity to transmit information from the extracellular matrix to the cytoskeleton inside the cell. It is proposed that this interaction is under tight regulation; however the signaling/regulatory components of Dg-Dys complex remain elusive. Understanding the regulation of the complex is critical since defects in this complex cause muscular dystrophy in humans. To reveal new regulators of the Dg-Dys complex, we used a model organism Drosophila melanogaster and performed genetic interaction screens to identify modifiers of Dg and Dys mutants in Drosophila wing veins. These mutant screens revealed that the Dg-Dys complex interacts with genes involved in muscle function and components of Notch, TGF-β and EGFR signaling pathways. In addition, components of pathways that are required for cellular and/or axonal migration through cytoskeletal regulation, such as Semaphorin-Plexin, Frazzled-Netrin and Slit-Robo pathways show interactions with Dys and/or Dg. These data suggest that the Dg-Dys complex and the other pathways regulating extracellular information transfer to the cytoskeletal dynamics are more intercalated than previously thought.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mariya M. Kucherenko
- Department of Biochemistry, Institute for Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, United States of America
- Department of Genetics and Biotechnology, Ivan Franko National University of Lviv, Lviv, Ukraine
| | - Mario Pantoja
- Department of Biochemistry, Institute for Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, United States of America
| | - Andriy S. Yatsenko
- Department of Biochemistry, Institute for Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, United States of America
- Department of Genetics and Biotechnology, Ivan Franko National University of Lviv, Lviv, Ukraine
| | - Halyna R. Shcherbata
- Department of Biochemistry, Institute for Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, United States of America
| | - Karin A. Fischer
- Department of Biochemistry, Institute for Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, United States of America
| | - Dariya V. Maksymiv
- Department of Biochemistry, Institute for Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, United States of America
- Department of Genetics and Biotechnology, Ivan Franko National University of Lviv, Lviv, Ukraine
| | - Yaroslava I. Chernyk
- Department of Biochemistry, Institute for Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, United States of America
- Department of Genetics and Biotechnology, Ivan Franko National University of Lviv, Lviv, Ukraine
| | - Hannele Ruohola-Baker
- Department of Biochemistry, Institute for Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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Shaw P, Ocorr K, Bodmer R, Oldham S. Drosophila aging 2006/2007. Exp Gerontol 2007; 43:5-10. [PMID: 18061385 DOI: 10.1016/j.exger.2007.10.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2007] [Accepted: 10/18/2007] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
Research on aging in Drosophila continues to provide new insights into this complex process. Drosophila is highly amenable to study aging because of its short generation time, comprehensive resources for genetic manipulation, and functionally conserved physiology. Importantly, many of these physiological processes such as heart function, sleep, and metabolism functionally senescence in older flies. As the evolutionarily conserved insulin and TOR pathways are critical regulators of aging, the influence of insulin and TOR signaling on these processes is an important area for future research. An important emerging theme is determining the age-dependent alterations that occur at the organ level and how this functional senescence is regulated by different tissues.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paul Shaw
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Washington University, School of Medicine, St Louis, MO 63110, USA.
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