Yatsenko A. Molecular and genetic analysis of dystropin-dystoglycan complex in the model organism Drosophila melanogaster

Object - processes caused by mutation in dystrophin and dystoglycan genes in Drosophila melanogaster. Goal - develop Drosophila melanogaster as a model organism for human muscular dystrophy. Methods - obtaining mutants, genetic transformation, isolation of total and plasmid DNA, construction of recombinant DNA molecules, polymerase chain reaction, expression, purification and analysis of proteins, gel electrophoresis of DNA and proteins confocal and light microscopy, climbing activity and lifespan studies. Results and novelty - we have obtained mutant of drosophila dystroglycan and dystrophin genes and studies their requireenets in different tissues of drosophila. For the first time it was shown that dorosphila dystrophin and dystoglycan are required for normal lifespan, locomotor activity, muscle functioning, and for normal formation of photoreceptor axons, glia, follicle cell, and oocyte polarity. For the first time we have shown in vitro that dystrophin and dystoglycan interaction is conserved in drosophila and human. For the first time we have shown requirement of C-terminal end binding sites of dystoglycan for establishment of oocyte polarity.