Drosophila CORL Phenotypes Connect Mating, Longevity, and Insulin Signaling

abstract: Drosophila CORL (dCORL) is a central nervous system (CNS)-specific gene that is hypothesized to function in Transforming Growth Factor β signaling. It is part of the Corl multigene family that includes mouse and human homologs. dCORL is necessary for Ecdysone Receptor isoform B1 (EcR-B1) p...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Other Authors: Tran, Nancy Lan (Author)
Format: Dissertation
Language:English
Published: 2018
Subjects:
Online Access:http://hdl.handle.net/2286/R.I.49054
id ndltd-asu.edu-item-49054
record_format oai_dc
spelling ndltd-asu.edu-item-490542018-08-02T03:01:05Z Drosophila CORL Phenotypes Connect Mating, Longevity, and Insulin Signaling abstract: Drosophila CORL (dCORL) is a central nervous system (CNS)-specific gene that is hypothesized to function in Transforming Growth Factor β signaling. It is part of the Corl multigene family that includes mouse and human homologs. dCORL is necessary for Ecdysone Receptor isoform B1 (EcR-B1) protein expression in the mushroom body, a brain region responsible for learning and memory. Beyond this, dCORL function is unknown. As dCORL expression is restricted to the CNS, co-expression experiments were performed to identify dCORL-specific neurons. In these experiments, EcR-B1 protein expression was compared to dCORL mRNA expression revealing that they are not expressed in the same cells. Therefore, EcR-B1 is regulated non-autonomously by dCORL. Co-expression analyses were also conducted utilizing dCORL reporters. For example, the reporter AH-lacZ was co-stained with two pars intercerebralis (PI) markers: Drifter (Dfr; a transcription factor found in the nucleus) and Drosophila insulin-like peptide 2 (dILP2; a peptide present in the neurosecretory cells of the pars intercerebralis [PI].) The results showed that there was complete AH-lacZ co-expression with dILP2 in third instar larval and adult brains. Previous work in our lab on dCORL mutant (Df(4)dCORL) adult longevity showed a connection between mating and increased lifespan; mated mutant females had doubled lifespans compared to virgins. Given the published relationship between insulin and longevity, I hypothesized an association between insulin, dCORL, and mating. Df(4)dCORL mutants were used to analyze the effects of dCORL loss-of-function on dILP2. There was a reduction in the number of dILP2-expressing cells in mutants compared to wild type. In wild type larval and adult PI’s, most dILP2-positive neurons also expressed Dfr. Whereas in adult virgin mutants, all dILP2 neurons were Dfr-positive. Both 3-day and 15-day old mated females showed increased dILP2 cell numbers compared to virgin mutants. In these sets of dILP2 cells only a subset expressed Dfr as in wild type. The mutant phenotypes of mated flies showed partial rescue compared to virgins. This led to the conclusion there were associations between mating, longevity, and insulin signaling through dCORL. Homology between Drosophila and mammalian Corl proteins imply these connections may be seen in mammals. Dissertation/Thesis Tran, Nancy Lan (Author) Newfeld, Stuart J (Advisor) Capco, David G (Committee member) Ugarova, Tatiana P (Committee member) Arizona State University (Publisher) Genetics dILP2 Drifter Fussel insulin lifespan extension pars intercerebralis eng 88 pages Masters Thesis Biology 2018 Masters Thesis http://hdl.handle.net/2286/R.I.49054 http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/ All Rights Reserved 2018
collection NDLTD
language English
format Dissertation
sources NDLTD
topic Genetics
dILP2
Drifter
Fussel
insulin
lifespan extension
pars intercerebralis
spellingShingle Genetics
dILP2
Drifter
Fussel
insulin
lifespan extension
pars intercerebralis
Drosophila CORL Phenotypes Connect Mating, Longevity, and Insulin Signaling
description abstract: Drosophila CORL (dCORL) is a central nervous system (CNS)-specific gene that is hypothesized to function in Transforming Growth Factor β signaling. It is part of the Corl multigene family that includes mouse and human homologs. dCORL is necessary for Ecdysone Receptor isoform B1 (EcR-B1) protein expression in the mushroom body, a brain region responsible for learning and memory. Beyond this, dCORL function is unknown. As dCORL expression is restricted to the CNS, co-expression experiments were performed to identify dCORL-specific neurons. In these experiments, EcR-B1 protein expression was compared to dCORL mRNA expression revealing that they are not expressed in the same cells. Therefore, EcR-B1 is regulated non-autonomously by dCORL. Co-expression analyses were also conducted utilizing dCORL reporters. For example, the reporter AH-lacZ was co-stained with two pars intercerebralis (PI) markers: Drifter (Dfr; a transcription factor found in the nucleus) and Drosophila insulin-like peptide 2 (dILP2; a peptide present in the neurosecretory cells of the pars intercerebralis [PI].) The results showed that there was complete AH-lacZ co-expression with dILP2 in third instar larval and adult brains. Previous work in our lab on dCORL mutant (Df(4)dCORL) adult longevity showed a connection between mating and increased lifespan; mated mutant females had doubled lifespans compared to virgins. Given the published relationship between insulin and longevity, I hypothesized an association between insulin, dCORL, and mating. Df(4)dCORL mutants were used to analyze the effects of dCORL loss-of-function on dILP2. There was a reduction in the number of dILP2-expressing cells in mutants compared to wild type. In wild type larval and adult PI’s, most dILP2-positive neurons also expressed Dfr. Whereas in adult virgin mutants, all dILP2 neurons were Dfr-positive. Both 3-day and 15-day old mated females showed increased dILP2 cell numbers compared to virgin mutants. In these sets of dILP2 cells only a subset expressed Dfr as in wild type. The mutant phenotypes of mated flies showed partial rescue compared to virgins. This led to the conclusion there were associations between mating, longevity, and insulin signaling through dCORL. Homology between Drosophila and mammalian Corl proteins imply these connections may be seen in mammals. === Dissertation/Thesis === Masters Thesis Biology 2018
author2 Tran, Nancy Lan (Author)
author_facet Tran, Nancy Lan (Author)
title Drosophila CORL Phenotypes Connect Mating, Longevity, and Insulin Signaling
title_short Drosophila CORL Phenotypes Connect Mating, Longevity, and Insulin Signaling
title_full Drosophila CORL Phenotypes Connect Mating, Longevity, and Insulin Signaling
title_fullStr Drosophila CORL Phenotypes Connect Mating, Longevity, and Insulin Signaling
title_full_unstemmed Drosophila CORL Phenotypes Connect Mating, Longevity, and Insulin Signaling
title_sort drosophila corl phenotypes connect mating, longevity, and insulin signaling
publishDate 2018
url http://hdl.handle.net/2286/R.I.49054
_version_ 1718715886071709696