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Distinct pathways mediate UV-induced apoptosis in Drosophila embryos

Lei Zhou1, Hermann Steller

  • 1Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Department of Biology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA.

Developmental Cell
|April 12, 2003
PubMed

Insights

UV radiation triggers cell death pathways differently in Drosophila embryos. Midstage embryos use a mei-41(dATM)-dependent pathway for UVC-induced apoptosis, while early embryos utilize an E2F-dependent pathway for both UVB and UVC.

Area of Science:

  • Developmental Biology
  • Cell Death Research
  • Genetics

Background:

  • Cell death regulation in Drosophila shares similarities with mammalian apoptosis pathways.
  • Homologous components for major human cell death pathways exist in Drosophila.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate distinct pathways mediating UV-induced apoptosis at different developmental stages in Drosophila embryos.
  • To elucidate the molecular mechanisms underlying UV-induced cell death in early and midstage Drosophila embryos.

Main Methods:

  • Utilizing UVC and UVB irradiation on Drosophila embryos at different developmental stages.
  • Analyzing gene expression, specifically reaper and the Drosophila Apaf-1/ced-4 homolog.
  • Investigating the roles of mei-41(dATM) and E2F in UV-induced apoptosis.

Main Results:

  • UVC irradiation induces reaper expression and apoptosis in midstage embryos via a mei-41(dATM)-dependent pathway.
  • Both UVB and UVC promote apoptosis in pregastrulation embryos through transcriptional induction of the Drosophila Apaf-1/ced-4 homolog.
  • This early UV response is dependent on E2F but independent of mei-41 and DNA damage.

Conclusions:

  • UV-induced apoptosis in Drosophila embryos is mediated by distinct pathways dependent on developmental stage.
  • The mei-41(dATM) pathway is critical for UVC-induced apoptosis in midstage embryos.
  • An E2F-dependent, DNA damage-independent pathway regulates UV-induced apoptosis in early embryos.

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