Drosophila parkinmutants have decreased mass and cell size and increased sensitivity to oxygen radical stress

• DOI: 10.1242/dev.01095
• Publication Date: 2004-04-13T00:33:27Z
• Authors: Yakov Pesah; Tuan Pham; Heather Burgess; Brooke Middlebrooks; Patrik Verstreken; Yi Zhou; Mark Harding; Hugo Bellen; Graeme Mardon
• Keywords: Neurons; 0303 health sciences; Muscles; Ubiquitin-Protein Ligases; Molecular Sequence Data; Parkinson Disease; Motor Activity; Mitochondria; Cold Temperature; Oxygen; Mice; Oxidative Stress; Sexual Behavior, Animal; 03 medical and health sciences; Drosophila melanogaster; Animals; Drosophila Proteins; Humans; Amino Acid Sequence; Reactive Oxygen Species; Sequence Alignment; Cell Size

Mutations in the gene parkin humans (PARK2) are responsible for a large number of familial cases autosomal-recessive Parkinson disease. We have isolated Drosophila homolog human PARK2 and characterized its expression null phenotype. flies 30% lower mass than wild-type controls which is part accounted by reduced cell size number. In addition, these infertile, show significantly longevity, unable to jump or fly. Rearing mutants on paraquat, generates toxic free radicals vivo, causes further reduction longevity. Furthermore, loss results progressive degeneration most indirect flight muscle (IFM) groups soon after eclosion, accompanied apoptosis. However, normal neuromuscular junction recordings during third larval instar stage, suggesting that musculature intact required only pupal adult muscle. do not an age-dependent dopaminergic neuron brain, even aging adults 3 weeks. Nevertheless, IFMs demonstrates importance maintaining specific groups, perhaps those with high-energy demand concomitant production high levels radicals. will be valuable model future analysis mechanisms tissue degeneration.