PgmNr D1090: A screen using FijiWings reveals the E3 Ubiquitin Ligase Neuralized as a novel Tribbles target.

Authors:
A. Shipman; L. Dobens


Institutes
Sch Biological Sci, UMKC, Kansas City, MO.


Keyword: cell growth

Abstract:

The Drosophila wing is an ideal tissue to examine how cell proliferation is coordinated with cell growth to pattern proper tissue size. We have developed FijiWings, a set of macros that automate plug-ins in the ImageJ/Fiji software, to accomplish morphophometric analysis of wing features.  FijiWings uses pattern recognition to outline wing veins and calculate tissue size and image processing to identify individual trichomes and calculate cell size. Using a misexpression approach, we have shown previously that FijiWings can effectively detect changes in both tissue and cell size resulting from manipulations of the insulin signaling pathway.  We have used FijiWings to reveal that misexpression of the Tribbles pseudokinase, which binds and blocks the activity of key regulatory molecules that mediate insulin-regulated cell growth and cdc25-triggered cell proliferation, decreases overall wing tissue size but increases the size of individual cells. Using Fijiwings, we screened the Basler collection of growth regulatory genes for modifiers of the Tribbles wing misexpression phenotype and identified several potential Trbl interactors, including multiple E3 ubiquitin ligases.  One of these E3 ubiquitin ligases is Neuralized, a component of the Notch signaling pathway, and here we present data from several approaches designed to validate the interaction between Tribbles and Neuralized to better understand a general mechanism for Tribbles regulation of RING-finger E3 ubiquitin ligases.



Flybase Genetic Index:
1. FlyBase gene symbol: trbl; FBgn: FBgn0028978