Date of Award
Summer 8-10-2022
Degree Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Master of Science in Integrative Biology (MSIB)
Department
Biology
Committee Chair/First Advisor
Dr. Scott Nowak
Major Professor
Dr. Scott Nowak
Second Committee Member
Dr. Anton Bryantsev
Third Committee Member
Dr. Carol Chrestensen
Abstract
Akirin, a highly conserved protein found in nearly all eukaryote species, is a transcriptional cofactor that has been known to play a critical role in the muscular development in Drosophila. In this study, we identified and analyzed the genetic interaction of akirin with the transcriptional GATA factor, pannier. Also, we verified whether two (a third region consisting of a combination of both intronic regions) highly conserved intronic regions of akirin could be likely akirin regulatory elements by studying their expression pattern in Drosophila melanogaster. Acknowledging pannier’s role in the early stages of somatic muscular development, a genetic cross of akirin/pannier double heterozygous mutant embryos were imaged to visualize somatic muscular phenotype. Using a reporter gene in Drosophila embryos, we tested whether these identified regulatory elements are indeed akirin regulators. The results indicated that the genetic interaction of akirin and pannier is crucial for the proper development of somatic muscles and help identify the expression pattern of the potential akirin regulators in embryos.