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In Vivo Biosensor Tracks Non-apoptotic Caspase Activity in Drosophila
Published on: November 27, 2016
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Detecting caspase activity in Drosophila larval imaginal discs
Caitlin E Fogarty1, Andreas Bergmann
1Department of Cancer Biology, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA, USA.
Methods in Molecular Biology (Clifton, N.J.)
|February 26, 2014
Summary
This study details using the cleaved Caspase-3 (CC3) antibody to detect caspase activation in Drosophila. The CC3 antibody specifically identifies cleaved caspases, crucial for cell death, in larval imaginal discs.
Area of Science:
- Cell Biology
- Molecular Biology
- Developmental Biology
Background:
- Caspases are essential proteases regulating programmed cell death.
- Caspase activation involves proteolytic cleavage, generating specific neo-epitopes.
- Detecting active caspases is vital for understanding cell death pathways.
Purpose of the Study:
- To describe a protocol for utilizing the cleaved Caspase-3 (CC3) antibody.
- To detect caspase activity in Drosophila larval imaginal discs.
- To leverage CC3 antibody's specificity for cleaved caspases.
Main Methods:
- Raising the CC3 antibody against a neo-epitope of cleaved Caspase-3.
- Validating CC3 antibody cross-reactivity with Drosophila caspases (DrICE, Dcp-1).
- Applying the CC3 antibody for detection in Drosophila larval imaginal discs.
Main Results:
- The CC3 antibody specifically recognizes cleaved, active Caspase-3 and related Drosophila caspases.
- The protocol enables visualization of caspase activation within specific tissues.
- This method allows for the study of caspase-mediated cell death during development.
Conclusions:
- The CC3 antibody is a valuable tool for assessing caspase activity in Drosophila.
- This protocol facilitates research into cell death mechanisms in developmental contexts.
- Understanding caspase activation is key to studying apoptosis and related biological processes.
