Searching for genes required for Drosophila ring gland development

Abstract

The ring gland is the major endocrine organ of the fly, formed by the fusion of three independent glands: the corpora allata, the prothoracic glands and the corpora cardiaca. The primordium of each gland is specified independently during embryogenesis in three different cephalic positions from where they migrate to converge at the anterior tip of the aorta. During this process, both the corpora allata and the prothoracic gland primordia experience an epithelial to mesenchymal transition induced by the activation of snail. The genetic network downstream of this event is yet unknown, as well as the factors controlling the directed migration of these cells to their final position. To identify genes involved in ring gland development, we are using a deficiency screening approach. As a complementary method, we are also implementing the Translating Ribosome Affinity Purification technique to identify the translatome of the endocrine primordia. Here we present data derived from the third chromosome screening, focusing on RhoGEF pebble (pbl).