Cell killing by the Drosophila gene reaper.
The reaper gene (rpr) is important for the activation of apoptosis in Drosophila. To investigate whether rpr expression is sufficient to induce apoptosis, transgenic flies were generated that express rpr complementary DNA or the rpr open reading frame in cells that normally live. Transcription of rpr from a heat-inducible promoter rapidly caused wide-spread ectopic apoptosis and organismal death. Ectopic overexpression of rpr in the developing retina resulted in eye ablation. The occurrence of cell death was highly sensitive to the dosage of the transgene. Because cell death induced by the protein encoded by rpr (RPR) could be blocked by the baculovirus p35 protein, RPR appears to activate a death program mediated by a ced-3/ICE (interleukin-1 converting enzyme)-like protease.
White
K
K
Cutaneous Biology Research Center, Massachusetts General Hospital, Charlestown 02129, USA.
Tahaoglu
E
E
Steller
H
H
D000818:Animals; D030801:Animals, Genetically Modified; D017209:Apoptosis; D020170:Caspase 1; D003546:Cysteine Endopeptidases / Q000378:metabolism; D018076:DNA, Complementary / Q000235:genetics; D004330:Drosophila / Q000166:cytology / Q000196:embryology / Q000235:genetics*; D029721:Drosophila Proteins; D018628:Gene Dosage; D015870:Gene Expression; D017344:Genes, Insect; D006358:Hot Temperature; D051034:Inhibitor of Apoptosis Proteins; D009154:Mutation; D016366:Open Reading Frames; D010455:Peptides / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology; D017956:Photoreceptor Cells, Invertebrate / Q000166:cytology; D019076:Transgenes; D014764:Viral Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology
D018076:DNA, Complementary; D029721:Drosophila Proteins; D051034:Inhibitor of Apoptosis Proteins; D010455:Peptides; D014764:Viral Proteins; C086430:inhibitor of apoptosis, Nucleopolyhedrovirus; C086973:rpr protein, Drosophila; D003546:Cysteine Endopeptidases; D020170:Caspase 1