The dynamics, interactions and phenotypes associated with the three members of the 14-3-3 family in Drosophila melanogaster
| dc.contributor | Skoulakis, Efthimios M. C. | |
| dc.creator | Acevedo, Summer Fontaine | |
| dc.date.accessioned | 2005-11-01T15:50:26Z | |
| dc.date.accessioned | 2017-04-07T19:50:44Z | |
| dc.date.available | 2005-11-01T15:50:26Z | |
| dc.date.available | 2017-04-07T19:50:44Z | |
| dc.date.created | 2004-08 | |
| dc.date.issued | 2005-11-01 | |
| dc.description.abstract | It has been proposed that the various 14-3-3 isotypes and isoforms present in all eukaryotes are largely functionally equivalent. However, this is not consistent with the conservation of multiple isoforms and isotypes, especially in vertebrates with seven 14-3-3 encoding genes and nine isotypes. The hypothesis tested in this thesis is that both isoform-specific and overlapping functions are likely mediated through tissue specific expression, colocalization and dimerization of 14-3-3 proteins occur in vivo. Drosophila melanogaster was selected because it offers a simple, but representative system to study these proteins functionally. This thesis focuses primarily on D14-3-3?, although the expression pattern and phenotypes associated with all three Drosophila 14-3-3s were determined. I first determined the expression pattern of the three different 14-3-3 isotypes (leoI, leoII and D14-3-3?) and described developmental phenotypes associated with mutations in 14-3-3 isotypes in Drosophila. I found that there is partial redundancy with respect to lethality. Both LEO and D14-3-3? appear required for normal germ-line and somatic gonadal development. However, they do not appear to be functionally equivalent with respect to this phenotype since LEO is unable to compensate for the loss of D14-3-3?. I also determined that D14-3-3? mutants have unique phenotypes including deficits in adult cross-vein formation and rapid habituation to olfactory and footshock stimuli. To further understand the unique role that D14-3-3? plays in the adult CNS, I mapped the areas in the brain involved in olfactory and footshock habituation. I found that although the mushroom bodies (MBs) are necessary to inhibit premature habituation such as that exhibited by D14-3-3? mutants, D14-3-3? expression specifically in the MBs is not sufficient to rescue premature habituation. Although the loss of either LEO or D14-3-3? appears to cause a deficit in olfactory associative learning, premature habituation is the cause of the deficit seen in D14-3-3? mutants. As leo mutants do not exhibit a premature habituation phenotype, it appears that within the MBs LEO and D14-3-3? are not functionally equivalent. Therefore, the data supports the hypothesis that 14-3-3s have functional specificity and redundancy likely to represent use of homo and heterodimers in different processes within the tissues of an organism. | |
| dc.identifier.uri | http://hdl.handle.net/1969.1/2725 | |
| dc.language.iso | en_US | |
| dc.publisher | Texas A&M University | |
| dc.subject | 14-3-3s | |
| dc.subject | habituation | |
| dc.subject | drosophila | |
| dc.subject | wing cross-vein | |
| dc.subject | pole cells | |
| dc.subject | olfaction | |
| dc.title | The dynamics, interactions and phenotypes associated with the three members of the 14-3-3 family in Drosophila melanogaster | |
| dc.type | Book | |
| dc.type | Thesis |