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Digitor/dASCIZ Has Multiple Roles in Drosophila Development
Saheli Sengupta1, Uttama Rath1, Changfu Yao1
1Roy J. Carver Department of Biochemistry, Biophysics, and Molecular Biology, Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa, United States of America.
Plos One
|November 19, 2016
Summary
The Drosophila protein Digitor/dASCIZ interacts with Skeletor and is essential for development. This nuclear protein regulates DNA damage response and metamorphosis, with its null mutant causing pupal lethality and developmental defects.
Area of Science:
- Cell Biology
- Developmental Biology
- Genetics
Background:
- Digitor/dASCIZ is the Drosophila ortholog of human ASCIZ (ATMIN, ZNF822).
- Digitor/dASCIZ is known to regulate Dynein light chain/Cut up expression.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the function and interactions of Digitor/dASCIZ in Drosophila development.
- To characterize the role of Digitor/dASCIZ in mitotic progression, DNA damage response, and metamorphosis.
Main Methods:
- Yeast two-hybrid screening and pull-down assays to confirm protein interactions.
- Transgenic expression of Digitor/dASCIZ and characterization of a P-element insertion null mutant.
- Analysis of DNA damage markers (γH2Av) and oxidative stress resistance.
Main Results:
- Digitor/dASCIZ interacts with the spindle matrix protein Skeletor and localizes to the nucleus and spindle during mitosis.
- Digitor/dASCIZ is essential for viability, with null mutants exhibiting pupal lethality and developmental defects.
- Loss of Digitor/dASCIZ leads to elevated DNA double-strand breaks and reduced oxidative stress resistance.
- Mutant larvae show reduced brain size and pupae display defects in differentiation, disc eversion, and apoptosis.
Conclusions:
- Digitor/dASCIZ is a crucial nuclear protein involved in mitotic progression, DNA damage response, and complex developmental processes in Drosophila.
- The essential role of Digitor/dASCIZ highlights its significance in regulating metamorphosis and organogenesis.
