Genetic Control of Organ Size in Fruit Flies

1. Team C Genetic Control of Organ Size in Fruit Flies Amir Blocker & Olga Bernal

2. Objectives (I) To observe field flies and lab flies. (II) To understand how a tumor suppressor gene regulates fly wing size. Hypothesis (I) Field flies are the same as lab flies. (II) Tumor suppressor gene does not affect fly wing size.

3. Background • What are fruit flies? • Fruit flies have been used in genetics study for over 100 years. • Application of fruit fly in human disease study: • Cancer • Neurological disease (Parkinson's, autism) • Immune disease • Rhythm, vision, olfaction, audition, learning/memory, courtship, pain • Other processes, such as longevity Thomas Hunt Morgan (Nobel Laureate,1933) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Drosophila_melanogaster

4. Background Life Cycle of fruit flies Short generation time of 10-14 days (compared to 25 years for human)

5. Materials and Methods – (I) • Field Fly Trap Experiment • Preparing the bottle: Cut a small U opening Label Do Not Disturb SEECoS Program Experiment in Progress 2 inch

6. Materials and Methods – (I) • Field Fly Trap Experiment • Preparing the bottle: Cut a small U opening • Preparing the bait: Bananas are mashed and added into the bottle. Add some yeast to promote fermentation.

7. Materials and Methods – (I) • Field Fly Trap Experiment • Preparing the bottle: Cut a small U opening • Preparing the bait: Bananas are mashed and added into the bottle. Add some yeast to promote fermentation. • Deploying the trap: Attach the trap to a tree limb • Checking the trap: • fly number, weather condition, bait condition • Collecting flies from the trap • Observing the flies • - Use dissecting microscope • - Body color, eye color, head shape, size, gender

8. Materials and Methods – (II) • Examination of tumor suppressor gene function in wing size C5-Gal4 (♀) • Differentiating male and female flies under dissecting microscope (with 100% accuracy) female (♀) Male (♂) • Setting up crosses Experimental Crosses: UAS-mats (♂) X Control Crosses: C5-Gal4 (♀) Wild type flies (♂) X Note: The tumor suppressor gene, mats, is going to be expressed in fly wings of the offspring.

9. Materials and Methods – (II) X Dissect fly wings using forceps Mount fly wings on glass slides Collect wing images using SPOT Camera and Software Measure wing sizes using Image J software Data analysis using Microsoft Excel

10. Results – (I) • Field Fly Trap Experiment (2 weeks later) front view back view

11. Results – (I) • Field Fly Trap Experiment field fly lab fly • No difference was seen between the lab and field flies.

12. Results – (II) • Examination of tumor suppressor gene function in wing size A, A’: wild type control flies B, B’: flies carrying tumor suppressor gene (mats) C5-Gal4 (control) C5-mats A B * A’ B’ (n>20)

13. Conclusion (I) Field flies we trapped belong to the same species of lab flies. Supporting hypothesis (I): -- Field flies are the same as lab flies. (II) Tumor suppressor gene reduces the wing size. Denying the hypothesis (II): -- Tumor suppressor gene does not affect fly wing size.

14. Future Research • Use different baits to see whether other species of flies will be attracted. • Examine the function of another kind of tumor suppressor gene. • Examine the function of tumor suppressor gene in different tissues other than wings, such as eyes, heads, legs, etc.

15. Acknowledgement Faculty: Dr. Zhi-Chun Lai Mentor: Ms. Xin Ye Dr. Jackie Bortiatynski Thank You All ! Instructor: Mr. Eric Speight Ms. Jody Markley Any Questions? Mr. Derek Ja mes All UBMS Staff