A5043270961- Developmental Biology and Gene Regulation
- RNA and protein synthesis mechanisms
- Silk-based biomaterials and applications
- Neurobiology and Insect Physiology Research
- Genomics and Chromatin Dynamics
- RNA Research and Splicing
- Hippo pathway signaling and YAP/TAZ
- Genomics and Phylogenetic Studies
- Plant Molecular Biology Research
- Cancer-related gene regulation
- Invertebrate Immune Response Mechanisms
- RNA modifications and cancer
- Cancer-related molecular mechanisms research
- Wnt/β-catenin signaling in development and cancer
- Genetic and Clinical Aspects of Sex Determination and Chromosomal Abnormalities
- Animal Behavior and Reproduction
- Animal Genetics and Reproduction
- Insect and Arachnid Ecology and Behavior
- Chemical Synthesis and Analysis
- Machine Learning in Bioinformatics
- Epigenetics and DNA Methylation
- Hedgehog Signaling Pathway Studies
- Hemiptera Insect Studies
- Insect Resistance and Genetics
- Marine and fisheries research
Centro Andaluz de Biología del Desarrollo
2017-2024
Universidad Pablo de Olavide
2017-2024
Brighton and Sussex Medical School
2016-2019
University of Sussex
2009-2019
University of Wisconsin–Madison
2008
Australian National University
2008
Royal Holloway University of London
1996-2000
University of Cambridge
1993-1999
Universidad Autónoma de Madrid
1996
Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas
1996
Despite recent advances in developmental biology, and the sequencing annotation of genomes, key questions regarding organisation cells into embryos remain. One possibility is that uncharacterised genes having nonstandard coding arrangements functions could provide some answers. Here we present characterisation tarsal-less (tal), a new type noncanonical gene had been previously classified as putative noncoding RNA. We show tal controls expression tissue folding Drosophila, thus acting link...
Small open reading frames (smORFs) are short DNA sequences that able to encode small peptides of less than 100 amino acids. Study these elements has been neglected despite thousands existing in our genomes. We and others previously showed as 11 acids translated provide essential functions during insect development. Here, we describe two 30 regulating calcium transport, hence influencing regular muscle contraction, the Drosophila heart. These seem conserved for more 550 million years a range...
ABSTRACT The margin of the wing Drosophila is defined and patterned from a stripe cells expressing wingless (wg) gene that established during third larval instar in developing blade. expression genes cut achaete small domain prospective region reflects activity wg probably mediate its function. Our results indicate that, margin, signal requires at least three genes: armadillo (arm), dishevelled (dsh) shaggy (sgg) functional relationship between these same as which exist patterning epidermis....
The patterning of the imaginal discs in Drosophila melanogaster is a progressive process that, like larval epidermis during embryogenesis, requires activity segment polarity genes. One gene, wingless, encodes homolog mouse proto-oncogene Wnt-1 and plays prominent role discs. However, whereas function wingless embryo initially associated with pattern stripes along anteroposterior axis that are part Cartesian coordinate system, it shown here development sectors provide references for polar...
Abstract Background The relationship between DNA sequence and encoded information is still an unsolved puzzle. number of protein-coding genes in higher eukaryotes identified by genome projects lower than was expected, while a considerable amount putatively non-coding transcription has been detected. Functional small open reading frames (smORFs) are known to exist several organisms. However, coding detection methods biased against detecting such very short frames. Thus, substantial...
Through division into segments, animal bodies can reach higher degrees of complexity and functionality during development evolution. The segmentation mechanisms insects vertebrates have been seen as fundamentally different at the anatomical molecular levels, consequently, independently evolved. However, this conclusion was mostly based on observations derived such Drosophila . We cloned Delta , Notch hairy genes in cockroach Periplaneta americana a basal insect with short germ-band...
Abstract Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) are transcripts longer than 200 nucleotides but lacking canonical coding sequences. Apparently unable to produce peptides, lncRNA function seems rely only on RNA expression, sequence and structure. Here, we exhaustively detect in-vivo translation of small open reading frames (small ORFs) within lncRNAs using Ribosomal profiling during Drosophila melanogaster embryogenesis. We show that around 30% contain ORFs engaged by ribosomes, leading regulated 100...
wingless and decapentaplegic signaling establishes the proximal-distal axis of Drosophila legs by activating expression genes such as Distalless dachshund in broad domains during early leg development. However, here we show that are not required throughout all The tarsus, which has been proposed to be an ancestral structure, is instead defined activity Distalless, dachshund, a distal gradient epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR)-Ras signaling. Our results uncover mechanism for appendage...
Translation of hundreds small ORFs (smORFs) less than 100 amino acids has recently been revealed in vertebrates and Drosophila. Some these peptides have essential conserved cellular functions. In Drosophila, we predicted a particular smORF class encoding ~80 aa hydrophobic peptides, which may function membranes cell organelles. Here, characterise hemotin, gene an 88aa transmembrane peptide localised to early endosomes Drosophila macrophages. hemotin regulates endosomal maturation during...
ABSTRACT The receptor protein NOTCH and its ligands SERRATE DELTA are involved in many developmental processes invertebrates vertebrates alike. Here we show that the expression of Serrate Delta genes patterns segments leg Drosophila by a combination their signalling activities. Coincident stripes expressing cells activate Enhancer split adjacent through Notch signalling. These form patterning boundary from which putative secondary signal leads to development joints. Elsewhere tarsal...
The Drosophila rotund gene is required in the wings, antenna, haltere, proboscis and legs. A member of Rac family GTPases, denoted racGAP gene, was previously identified region. However, previous studies indicated that not responsible for phenotypes had yet to be identified. We have isolated show it a Krüppel zinc finger genes. adjacent roughened eye locus specifically affects genetically separable from rotund. are tightly linked, we therefore also transcript. Intriguingly, part but...
Summary Sequential addition of segments in the posteriorly growing end embryo is a developmental mechanism common to many bilaterians. However, posterior growth and patterning most animals also entails establishment ‘posterior organiser’ that expresses Caudal Wnt proteins has been proposed be an ancestral feature animal development. We have studied functional relationships between Wnt-driven organiser segmentation mechanisms basal insect, cockroach Periplaneta americana. Here,...
Convergent phenotypic evolution is often caused by recurrent changes at particular nodes in the underlying gene regulatory networks (GRNs). The genes such evolutionary 'hotspots' are thought to maximally affect phenotype with minimal pleiotropic consequences. This has led suggestion that if a GRN understood sufficient detail, path of may be predictable. repeated loss larval trichomes among Drosophila species shavenbaby (svb) expression. svb also required for development leg trichomes, but...