Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 2, 2026

The Drosophila Imaginal Disc Tumor Model: Visualization and Quantification of Gene Expression and Tumor Invasiveness Using Genetic Mosaics
10:31

The Drosophila Imaginal Disc Tumor Model: Visualization and Quantification of Gene Expression and Tumor Invasiveness Using Genetic Mosaics

Published on: October 6, 2016

10.9K

Oncogenic mutations produce similar phenotypes in Drosophila tissues of diverse origins

Stefanie Stickel1, Tin Tin Su

  • 1Department of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO 80309-0347, USA.

Biology Open
|February 27, 2014
PubMed

Insights

Targeted cancer therapy based on tumor genetics shows promise. Oncogenic mutations, like Ras(V12) and scrib(1), drive similar tumor behaviors across different tissues in Drosophila, overriding tissue-specific effects.

Area of Science:

  • Oncology
  • Genetics
  • Developmental Biology

Background:

  • Precision oncology aims to match cancer treatments to specific tumor genotypes.
  • A key assumption is that identical oncogenic mutations yield similar outcomes regardless of tissue origin.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To experimentally validate if oncogenic mutations induce comparable tumor phenotypes across diverse tissue types.
  • Investigating the influence of genetic mutations versus tissue origin in cancer development.

Main Methods:

  • Utilized Drosophila melanogaster larvae as a model system.
  • Induced tumors using a combination of Ras(V12) and scrib(1) mutations.
  • Analyzed tumor behavior in neural ectodermal and mesodermal tissues.

Main Results:

  • Tumors in different tissues exhibited remarkably similar characteristics.
  • Observed consistent behavior in cell cycle checkpoints, apoptosis, and cellular morphology.
  • Both tumor types showed increased aneuploidy and comparable responses to Taxol treatment.

Conclusions:

  • Oncogenic mutations can override intrinsic tissue-specific differences in tumor behavior.
  • Findings support the genotype-driven approach in cancer treatment, irrespective of tissue of origin.
  • The study provides experimental evidence for the universality of certain oncogenic mutation effects.
Keywords:
AneuploidyCell cycleCheckpointsDrosophilaRasTumor

More Related Videos

A Protocol for Genetic Induction and Visualization of Benign and Invasive Tumors in Cephalic Complexes of Drosophila melanogaster07:23

A Protocol for Genetic Induction and Visualization of Benign and Invasive Tumors in Cephalic Complexes of Drosophila melanogaster

Published on: September 11, 2013

9.0K
Induction and Diagnosis of Tumors in Drosophila Imaginal Disc Epithelia08:14

Induction and Diagnosis of Tumors in Drosophila Imaginal Disc Epithelia

Published on: July 25, 2017

14.7K

Related Concept Videos

Cancers Originate from Somatic Mutations in a Single Cell02:21

Cancers Originate from Somatic Mutations in a Single Cell

Cancer arises from mutations in the critical genes that allow healthy cells to escape cell cycle regulation and acquire the ability to proliferate indefinitely. Though originating from a single mutation event in one of the originator cells, cancer progresses when the mutant cell lines continue to gain more and more mutations, and finally, become malignant. For example, chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML) develops initially as a non-lethal increase in white blood cells, which progressively...
12.6K
Background and Environment Affect Phenotype02:27

Background and Environment Affect Phenotype

Although the genetic makeup of an organism plays a major role in determining the phenotype, there are also several environmental factors, such as temperature, oxygen availability, presence of mutagens, that can alter an organism’s phenotype.
An example of how genetic background affects phenotype can be seen in horses. The Extension gene in horses is responsible for their coat color. A wild-type gene (EE) produces black pigment in the coat, while a mutant gene (ee) produces red pigment. A...
5.8K
Exon Recombination02:32

Exon Recombination

The evolution of new genes is critical for speciation. Exon recombination, also known as exon shuffling or domain shuffling, is an important means of new gene formation. It is observed across vertebrates, invertebrates, and in some plants such as potatoes and sunflowers. During exon recombination, exons from the same or different genes recombine and produce new exon-intron combinations, which might evolve into new genes. 
Exon shuffling follows “splice frame rules.” Each exon...
3.1K
Cancer-Critical Genes I: Proto-oncogenes01:33

Cancer-Critical Genes I: Proto-oncogenes

Genes usually encode proteins necessary for the proper functioning of a healthy cell. Mutations can often cause changes to the gene expression pattern, thereby altering the phenotype.
When the function of certain critical genes, especially those involved in cell cycle regulation and cell growth signaling cascades, gets disrupted, it upsets the cell cycle progression. Such cells with unchecked cell cycles start proliferating uncontrollably and eventually develop into tumors.
Such genes that act...
9.1K
Complementation Tests00:49

Complementation Tests

A complementation test is a simple cross to identify whether the two mutations are located on the same gene or different genes. It was first performed by Edward Lewis in the 1940s while working on fruit flies. He developed the test to identify the location and arrangement of different mutations on chromosomes.
Organisms heterozygous for different mutations are crossed pairwise in all combinations. If present on different genes, the mutations can complement each other by providing the missing...
4.9K
The Ras Gene02:38

The Ras Gene

The Ras-gene-encoded proteins are regulators of signaling pathways controlling cell proliferation, differentiation, or cell survival. The Ras-gene family in humans constitutes three primary members—the HRas, NRas, and KRas. These genes code for four functionally distinct yet closely related proteins—the HRas, NRas, KRas4A, and KRas4B. The involvement of mutant Ras genes in human cancer was first discovered in 1982 and is among the most common causes of human tumorigenesis.
Ras is a...
5.7K