Description
- Abstract:
- Strict regulatory mechanisms ensure that the cell’s genome is perfectly duplicated. In eukaryotic cells, origins of replication fire once and only once per cell cycle. In the fungus gnat Sciara coprophila, polytene chromosomes of the salivary glands undergo locus-specific DNA re-replication, leading to DNA amplification which are visible along the polytene chromosomes as DNA puffs. The Sciara genome and transcriptome resources are new, allowing exploration of Sciara differential gene expression for the first time. Validation of RNA transcripts that correspond to developmental events during salivary gland stages and life cycle stages may point towards biological factors critical to DNA amplification. More specifically, qPCR validation of transcripts that are abundant at the start of re-replication and decrease thereafter during salivary gland development may encode potential amplification factors that play a significant role in DNA amplification. Conversely, RNA transcripts that increase during the eye-spot stages through the end of larval development may encode proteins encoded by the DNA puffs. Sex-specific differential gene expression was also investigated. The X’ inversion is a large paracentric inversion on the X chromosome; the X’ inversion is only found in females. Sciara female adult containing the X’ inversion (XX’) produce only daughters, while XX female adults produce only sons. There is no Y chromosome in Sciara. Inspection of the transcriptome maps might indicate which genes resides near the X’ inversion breakpoints or span the breakpoints. Additionally, differences in transcript levels between male and female Sciara at different stages may point towards genes involved in sex determination pathways. The Sciara transcriptome data will be compared to Drosophila where the pathway for sex determination involves differential splicing of mRNA, which may be encoded by genes on autosomes, and not just on the sex chromosomes.
- Notes:
- Thesis (Sc. M.)--Brown University, 2017
Access Conditions
- Rights
- In Copyright
- Restrictions on Use
- Collection is open for research.
Citation
Lee, Audrey,
"Differential Gene Expression in the Fungus Fly, Sciara coprophila: The Quest for Stable Reference Genes"
(2017).
Molecular Biology, Cell Biology, and Biochemistry Theses and Dissertations.
Brown Digital Repository. Brown University Library.
https://doi.org/10.7301/Z0WW7G3W
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Molecular Biology, Cell Biology, and Biochemistry Theses and Dissertations
Theses and Dissertations for the Molecular Biology, Cell Biology, and Biochemistry department....