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Genetics, Vol. 165, 1943-1958, December 2003, Copyright © 2003

The Drosophila melanogaster importin {alpha}3 Locus Encodes an Essential Gene Required for the Development of Both Larval and Adult Tissues

D. Adam Masona, Endre Máthéb, Robert J. Flemingc, and David S. Goldfarba
a Department of Biology, University of Rochester, Rochester, New York 14627,
b CRC Cell Cycle Research Group, Department of Genetics, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 3EH, United Kingdom
c Biology Department, Trinity College, Hartford, Connecticut 06106

Corresponding author: David S. Goldfarb, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY 14627., dasg{at}mail.rochester.edu (E-mail)

Communicating editor: K. ANDERSON

The nuclear transport of classical nuclear localization signal (cNLS)-containing proteins is mediated by the cNLS receptor importin {alpha}. The conventional importin {alpha} gene family in metazoan animals is composed of three clades that are conserved between flies and mammals and are referred to here as {alpha}1, {alpha}2, and {alpha}3. In contrast, plants and fungi contain only {alpha}1 genes. In this study we report that Drosophila importin {alpha}3 is required for the development of both larval and adult tissues. Importin {alpha}3 mutant flies die around the transition from first to second instar larvae, and homozygous importin {alpha}3 mutant eyes are defective. The transition to second instar larvae was rescued with importin {alpha}1, {alpha}2, or {alpha}3 transgenes, indicating that Importin {alpha}3 is normally required at this stage for an activity shared by all three importin {alpha}'s. In contrast, an {alpha}3-specific biochemical activity(s) of Importin {alpha}3 is probably required for development to adults and photoreceptor cell development, since only an importin {alpha}3 transgene rescued these processes. These results are consistent with the view that the importin {alpha}'s have both overlapping and distinct functions and that their role in animal development involves the spatial and temporal control of their expression.




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