Department of Biological Sciences,University of Warwick,Coventry, CV4 7AL, § Department of Genetics, University of Cambridge, CB2 3EH,
Enhancer trapping has been used to identify the gene drongo from it’s expression pattern in the neurogenic ectoderm of the embryo. drongo is also expressed during oogenesis. The amino acid sequence of Drongo has shown homology with a family of zinc finger genes including: the yeast gene GTS1; HIV-1 Rev-interacting-protein, h-rip; and members of the ARF-GAP family of proteins. On the basis of it’s homology and expression pattern, possible functions for Drongo may include a role as a transcription factor, a role in cell division, in mRNA transport or an involvement in vesicular trafficking. No mutant phenotype has yet been identified, therefore as a first step to try and identify a role for Drongo we are currently using ectopic expression of drongo via a heat shock transgene. We have heat-shocked females and found ovary defects in encystment of the egg-chambers, similar to those described for hedgehog overexpression and some neurogenic mutants e.g. braniac, Notch and Delta. A summary of the present status of the work with regard to ectopic expression in the embryonic nervous system, and experiments to isolate a mutant and determine the cellular role of Drongo will be reported.