Genome editing reveals the mechanism of Drosophila pigmentation pattern formation

2022 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 18H02486
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (B)
• Allocation Type: Single-year Grants
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 45020:Evolutionary biology-related
• Research Institution: Hokkaido University
• Principal Investigator: Koshikawa Shigeyuki 北海道大学, 地球環境科学研究院, 教授 (30714498)
• Project Period (FY): 2018-04-01 – 2023-03-31
• Keywords: 進化 / 発生 / ショウジョウバエ / 模様 / 着色 / cis制御領域

Outline of Final Research Achievements

In this study, we aimed to identify all the major genes involved in wing pigmentation pattern formation in Drosophila guttifera and analyze gene function to understand the mechanism of pattern formation. By performing transcriptome analysis of small regions from the pupal wings, we were able to identify a group of genes whose expression was high (or low) in the regions where pigmentation occurs and which are under the control of wingless gene. We analyzed the functions of some of these genes in relation to pigmentation by genome editing. We also developed a method to analyze gene functions using the GAL4/UAS system. To clarify the gene regulatory network that controls pigmentation, we analyzed the function of enhancers that regulate the species-specific expression of wingless gene.

Free Research Field

進化発生生物学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

模様の形成機構の研究は、それ自体のみならず、組織のパターニングの原理や、表現型進化の理解に大きく貢献してきた。本研究の成果は、模様がどのように形成されるかを、ある一種の生物においてより正確に理解する試みである。さらに、模様がない近縁種と比べて、どのような遺伝的な変化が模様の進化を引き起こすのかを明らかにした。