Identification of an S-antigen-like molecule in Drosophila melanogaster: an immunohistochemical study.
Vision is a highly complex process common to many vertebrate and invertebrate species. The visual system of Drosophila represents a valuable model in which to study this process since its chromosomal makeup has been well mapped and many mutants containing specific photoreceptor defects have been described. S-antigen is a well-characterized photoreceptor cell protein which plays a fundamental role in the visual process. In this study, we used a panel of four monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) specific for amino, mid and carboxy terminal amino acid sequences in S-antigen in order to examine S-antigen immunoreactivity in the Drosophila visual system. Two MAbs, MAb5C6.47 and MAbC10-C10, localized S-antigen to the retinules and ocelli. In contrast, MAbA2-G5 and MAbA9-C6 did not stain. The presence and strong antigenic similarity of an S-antigen homolog in Drosophila suggests that in both vertebrates and invertebrates S-antigen plays a major role in the regulation of the phototransduction of vision.
Retina Service, Wills Eye Hospital, Philadelphia, PA 19107.
W E
WE
Lieb
L
L
Smith-Lang
H S
HS
Dua
A C
AC
Christensen
L A
LA
Donoso
D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D000941:Antigens / Q000032:analysis*; D019393:Arrestin; D001324:Autoantigens / Q000032:analysis; D015153:Blotting, Western; D004331:Drosophila melanogaster / Q000276:immunology*; D005136:Eye Proteins / Q000032:analysis*; D007150:Immunohistochemistry
D000941:Antigens; D019393:Arrestin; D001324:Autoantigens; D005136:Eye Proteins