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Access Type

WSU Access

Date of Award

January 2011

Degree Type

Thesis

Degree Name

M.S.

Department

Biological Sciences

First Advisor

Mark F. VanBerkum

Abstract

THE EXPRESSION PATTERN OF METHUSELAH AND THE METHUSELAH-LIKE FAMILY IN THIRD INSTAR LARVAL CNS AND IMAGINAL DISCS

by

DANA HALLAL

August 2011

Advisor: Dr. VanBerkum

Major: Biological Sciences

Degree: Master of Science

Methuselah-like (Mth-l) proteins are G- protein coupled receptors of the Secretin-like receptor family. Their founding member Methuselah (Mth) was previously shown to be important in development, control of synaptic efficacy at the neuromuscular junction, and senescence, however little is understood about the Mth-l family. By using in situ hybridization, the expression of the fourteen members of the Mth-l family was characterized in Drosophila third instar larval central nervous system (CNS) and imaginal discs. Six members of the Mth-l family are expressed in larval CNS and imaginal discs. In the CNS, Mth-l3 is expressed specifically in the abdominal neuromeres of the ventral nerve cord (VNC). While, Mth-l8 is expressed in the other three sections of the brain ; the optic lobes, the central brain, and the VNC with a higher level of expression in its thoracic neuromeres. Mth's expression pattern in the CNS overlaps with that of Mth-l8, albeit at a lower intensity. Mth-l10C is expressed mildly in the optic lobes, central brain, and the thoracic neuromeres of the VNC. In the eye imaginal disc, Mth, Mth-l4, 6,and 8 are expressed in cells of the morphogenetic furrow, and Mth-l8 has additional expression in photoreceptor clusters posterior to the morphogenetic furrow. In the vertex primordium of the eye disc, Mth-l3 and Mth-l10C are expressed near the ocelli, while Mth-l8 is expressed in the frons. Mth has an intense expression in regions of the vertex primordium close to the antennal disc, and Mth-l6 and Mth-l10A are expressed all over the primordium with little regional specificity. In the wing disc, Mth and Mthl4 are expressed in cells of the wing margin but at varying intensities. Mth-l3 is expressed in the wing surface. Mth-l6, Mth-l10A and C posses an overlapping pattern of expression in the wing's blade and hinge. Furthermore, Mth-l3 and Mth-l10C are expressed in cells of the notum. Finally, Mth, Mth-l6, and Mth-l10 have an overlapping pattern of expression in the leg imaginal disc. Mth-l1,5,9,10B,11,13 and 14 are not expressed in larva but are seen in embryos, while Mth-l2,7 and 12 are neither expressed in embryos nor third in star larva of D. melanogaster. Our expression data paves the way for future functional analysis of the Mth-l family.

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