Genetics, Vol 131, 365-375, Copyright © 1992

INVESTIGATIONS

The Drosophila couch potato Gene: An Essential Gene Required for Normal Adult Behavior

H. J. Bellen, H. Vaessin, E. Bier, A. Kolodkin, D. D'Evelyn, S. Kooyer and Y. N. Jan
Institute for Molecular Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas 77030 Corresponding author.

Through enhancer detection screens we have isolated 14 insertions in an essential gene that is expressed in embryonic sensory mother cells (SMC), in most cells of the mature embryonic peripheral nervous system (PNS), and in glial cells of the PNS and the central nervous system (CNS). Embryos homozygote for amorphic alleles die, but show no obvious defects in their cuticle, PNS or CNS. The gene has been named couch potato (cpo) because several insertional alleles alter adult behavior. Homozygous hypomorphic cpo flies recover slowly from ether anaesthesia, show aberrant flight behavior, fail to move toward light and do not exhibit normal negative geotactic behavior. However, the flies are able to groom and walk, and some are able to fly when prodded, indicating that not all processes required for behavior are severely affected. A molecular analysis shows that the 14 insertions are confined to a few hundred nucleotides which probably contain key regulatory sequences of the gene. The orientation of these insertions and their position within this DNA fragment play an important role in the couch potato phenotype. In situ hybridization to whole mount embryos suggest that some insertions affect the levels of transcription of cpo in most cells in which it is expressed.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				L. Nicholson, G. K. Singh, T. Osterwalder, G. W. Roman, R. L. Davis, and H. Keshishian Spatial and Temporal Control of Gene Expression in Drosophila Using the Inducible GeneSwitch GAL4 System. I. Screen for Larval Nervous System Drivers Genetics, January 1, 2008; 178(1): 215 - 234. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				T. Mukherjee, U. Schafer, and M. P. Zeidler Identification of Drosophila Genes Modulating Janus Kinase/Signal Transducer and Activator of Transcription Signal Transduction Genetics, March 1, 2006; 172(3): 1683 - 1697. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				E. Glasscock and M. A. Tanouye Drosophila couch potato Mutants Exhibit Complex Neurological Abnormalities Including Epilepsy Phenotypes Genetics, April 1, 2005; 169(4): 2137 - 2149. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				T Kusch and R Reuter Functions for Drosophila brachyenteron and forkhead in mesoderm specification and cell signalling Development, January 9, 1999; 126(18): 3991 - 4003. [Abstract] [PDF]

				P. D. Harvie, M. Filippova, and P. J. Bryant Genes Expressed in the Ring Gland, the Major Endocrine Organ of Drosophila melanogaster Genetics, May 1, 1998; 149(1): 217 - 231. [Abstract] [Full Text]

				T Klein and J. Campos-Ortega klumpfuss, a Drosophila gene encoding a member of the EGR family of transcription factors, is involved in bristle and leg development Development, January 8, 1997; 124(16): 3123 - 3134. [Abstract] [PDF]

				E Shishido, N Ono, T Kojima, and K Saigo Requirements of DFR1/Heartless, a mesoderm-specific Drosophila FGF-receptor, for the formation of heart, visceral and somatic muscles, and ensheathing of longitudinal axon tracts in CNS Development, January 6, 1997; 124(11): 2119 - 2128. [Abstract] [PDF]

				M Beiman, B Z Shilo, and T Volk Heartless, a Drosophila FGF receptor homolog, is essential for cell migration and establishment of several mesodermal lineages. Genes & Dev., December 1, 1996; 10(23): 2993 - 3002. [Abstract] [PDF]

				S Gisselbrecht, J B Skeath, C Q Doe, and A M Michelson heartless encodes a fibroblast growth factor receptor (DFR1/DFGF-R2) involved in the directional migration of early mesodermal cells in the Drosophila embryo. Genes & Dev., December 1, 1996; 10(23): 3003 - 3017. [Abstract] [PDF]

				M Takahisa, S Togashi, T Suzuki, M Kobayashi, A Murayama, K Kondo, T Miyake, and R Ueda The Drosophila tamou gene, a component of the activating pathway of extramacrochaetae expression, encodes a protein homologous to mammalian cell-cell junction-associated protein ZO-1. Genes & Dev., July 15, 1996; 10(14): 1783 - 1795. [Abstract] [PDF]

				J. Hall The mating of a fly Science, June 17, 1994; 264(5166): 1702 - 1714. [Abstract] [PDF]

				H Vaessin, M Brand, L. Jan, and Y. Jan daughterless is essential for neuronal precursor differentiation but not for initiation of neuronal precursor formation in Drosophila embryo Development, January 4, 1994; 120(4): 935 - 945. [Abstract] [PDF]

				T Volk and K VijayRaghavan A central role for epidermal segment border cells in the induction of muscle patterning in the Drosophila embryo Development, January 1, 1994; 120(1): 59 - 70. [Abstract] [PDF]

				E Shishido, S Higashijima, Y Emori, and K Saigo Two FGF-receptor homologues of Drosophila: one is expressed in mesodermal primordium in early embryos Development, January 2, 1993; 117(2): 751 - 761. [Abstract] [PDF]

				H J Bellen, S Kooyer, D D'Evelyn, and J Pearlman The Drosophila couch potato protein is expressed in nuclei of peripheral neuronal precursors and shows homology to RNA-binding proteins. Genes & Dev., November 1, 1992; 6(11): 2125 - 2136. [Abstract] [PDF]