NYU scientists ID key factor in how fruit fly color receptor cells 'decide' their type
...s identified a transcription factor gene nicknamed spineless as the key regulator for establishing the retinal ... mid-pupation stage. For fruit flies in which the spineless gene could not be expressed, all of the R7 photoreceptors and most R8 receptors were "pale"; for fli...One gene provides fruit fly both antenna and color vision
... retina. The Duncans have a long history with the spineless gene. Their interest has been in the role spineless plays in directing development of the antenna, Drosophila's primary olfactory organ. Years ago, the...Spineless tales provide strong backbone to human brain research
...ting in Australia this week that research on these spineless creatures is unveiling the mechanics of how the brain regulates behavior. Among his tales of three invertebrates were details of his discoveries, published in two papers this year, that two specific brain chemicals (glutamate and FMRFamide-related ...Tiny Tampa Bay fish key to evolution of immune system
...the modern-day human immune system. The inch-long spineless fish, called a lancelet, produces a key immune system protein that is similar to but much hardier than the version found in people. The bay waters are a microbial soup teeming with microorganisms, yet the worm-like bottom-feeder is remarkably adept a....... Dr. Jan and colleagues demonstrate that the gene spineless (ss) regulates the branching patterns of these neurons. The researchers found that in ss mutants, normally simple da neurons develop more complex dendritic arbors, whereas normally complex da neurons develop simpler dendrite patterns. "We hypothesiz...Sea urchin genome is a biology boon and a computational feat
...re 7,077 genes with urchins. This makes the spiny, spineless creature a closer genetic cousin to man than the fruit fly or worm, more widely studied model organisms. Results from the sequencing project are published in a special six-article section of Science. Other surprises from the project: Urchins have th...