Related Experiment Video

Updated: Aug 20, 2026

In Vitro Cleavage Assays using Purified Recombinant Drosophila Caspases for Substrate Screening
08:16

In Vitro Cleavage Assays using Purified Recombinant Drosophila Caspases for Substrate Screening

Published on: October 6, 2022

Drosophila caspase DRONC is required for specific developmental cell death pathways and stress-induced apoptosis

Tasman J Daish1, Kathryn Mills, Sharad Kumar

  • 1Hanson Institute, Institute of Medical and Veterinary Science, PO Box 14, Rundle Mall, Adelaide, South Australia 5000, Australia.

Developmental Cell
|December 2, 2004
PubMed

Insights

The study generated a mutant for the Drosophila gene DRONC, the fly's only apical caspase. This mutant is essential for developmental cell death and DNA damage-induced apoptosis, but not all cell death pathways.

Area of Science:

  • Cell biology
  • Developmental biology
  • Genetics

Background:

  • Caspases are crucial proteases for apoptosis execution.
  • Drosophila has seven caspases, but their specific roles are understudied due to limited mutants.
  • DRONC is the sole caspase recruitment domain (CARD)-containing apical caspase in Drosophila.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To generate and characterize a specific mutant of the Drosophila gene encoding DRONC.
  • To investigate the role of DRONC in various forms of cell death, including developmental apoptosis and DNA damage-induced apoptosis.
  • To determine if DRONC is essential for all caspase-mediated cell death pathways in Drosophila.

Main Methods:

  • Generation of a specific mutant for the Drosophila gene encoding DRONC.
  • Analysis of dronc mutant phenotypes, including pupal lethality.
  • Assessment of DRONC's requirement in developmental cell deaths and DNA damage-induced apoptosis.
  • Investigation of DRONC's role in autophagic death of larval salivary glands and midgut histolysis.

Main Results:

  • dronc mutants exhibit pupal lethality.
  • DRONC is essential for numerous developmental cell deaths and apoptosis triggered by DNA damage.
  • DRONC is required for the autophagic death of larval salivary glands during metamorphosis.
  • DRONC is not required for the histolysis of larval midguts.
  • Effector caspase activation and cell death can occur independently of DRONC in certain tissues.

Conclusions:

  • DRONC plays a critical role in specific developmental cell death pathways in Drosophila.
  • The findings highlight the tissue-specific involvement of DRONC in apoptosis.
  • This study provides insights into the differential regulation of cell death pathways in Drosophila development.

More Related Videos

Detecting Anastasis In Vivo by CaspaseTracker Biosensor20:16

Detecting Anastasis In Vivo by CaspaseTracker Biosensor

Published on: February 1, 2018

In Vivo Biosensor Tracks Non-apoptotic Caspase Activity in Drosophila13:21

In Vivo Biosensor Tracks Non-apoptotic Caspase Activity in Drosophila

Published on: November 27, 2016

Related Concept Videos

Caspases01:24

Caspases

Caspase, a family of cysteine proteases, serve as effectors in apoptosis. The ced3 gene in C.elegans was first identified to be involved in apoptosis. This gene encodes the ced-3 caspase that is similar to the interleukin-1-beta converting enzyme or ICE in mammals. In addition to apoptosis, caspases also function in the inflammatory response. Inflammatory caspases are essential in activating pro-inflammatory cytokines that recruit immune cells and block the replication of pathogens inside cells.
The Extrinsic Apoptotic Pathway01:17

The Extrinsic Apoptotic Pathway

The extrinsic apoptotic pathway is initiated when extracellular death-inducing signals, such as specific cytokines, activate the death receptors expressed on the cell surface. The immune cells involved in this pathway are natural killer cells (NK cells) and cytotoxic T-lymphocytes. NK cells are critical in innate immune response, while cytotoxic T-lymphocytes are associated with adaptive immune response. These cells recognize specific receptors expressed on the altered cells and activate...
The Intrinsic Apoptotic Pathway01:31

The Intrinsic Apoptotic Pathway

Internal cellular stress, such as cellular injury or hypoxia, triggers intrinsic apoptosis. The B-cell lymphoma 2 (Bcl-2) family of proteins are the primary regulators of the intrinsic apoptotic pathway. For example, during DNA damage, checkpoint proteins, such as Ataxia Telangiectasia Mutated (ATM protein) and Checkpoints Factor-2 (Chk2) proteins, are activated. These proteins phosphorylate p53 which further activates pro-apoptotic proteins, such as Bax, Bak, PUMA, and Noxa, and inhibits...
Overview of Cell Death01:30

Overview of Cell Death

Cell death is an essential process where the body gets rid of old or damaged cells. Cell proliferation and death need to be balanced, as an imbalance between the two may lead to cancer or autoimmune diseases.
Cell death was observed in the early 19th century, but there was no experimental evidence to prove it. In 1842, Carl Vogt first discovered cell death in a metamorphic toad; however, it was not termed ‘cell death.’ Scientists discovered different cell death pathways only in the 20th century...
Apoptosis01:30

Apoptosis

Apoptosis is a combination of two Greek words, 'apo' and 'ptosis,' meaning separation and falling off, respectively. Hippocrates used this word to describe gangrene, which was caused due to bandaging of fractured bones. Apoptosis was distinguished from necrosis in 1970 when John Kerr reported observations of morphological changes occurring during apoptosis. During one experiment, he observed that the disruption of blood supply to the liver tissue resulted in a size reduction of the tissue.
Cellular Injury V: Apoptosis and Autophagy01:22

Cellular Injury V: Apoptosis and Autophagy

Cells respond to damage and stress through highly coordinated processes that decide whether they survive or undergo controlled self-destruction. Two major pathways involved in this regulation are apoptosis, a type of programmed cell death, and autophagy, a survival mechanism that helps cells adapt to adverse conditions.ApoptosisApoptosis removes aged or injured cells to maintain tissue balance. During this process, the cell shrinks, chromatin condenses and fragments, and membrane-bound...