title: Overexpression of human genes in Drosophila melanogaster by using GAL4 UAS system.
abstract: Many human genes determined by genomic sequencing have only few information about their functions. To fill this knowledge gap, the powerful Drosophila genetics was set as a model to elucidate human gene functions effectively. By using germline transformation together with GAL4-UAS system, we studied the possibility of expressing and functionally characterization of human genes in Drosophila. Fifty-four transgenic fly lines corresponding to 10 human genes have been established. When expressed individually by crossing to an array of 6 different GAL4 driver lines, one of these genes, the translation elongation factor 1 alpha 1 (EF1 alpha-1), resulted in abnormal notum and rough eye phenotypes. This study implies the feasibility of systematically screening human gene functions by overexpression in Drosophila.
authors.affiliation: Morgan-Tan International Center for Life Sciences, Institute of Developmental Biology and Molecular Medicine, School of Life Science, Fudan University, Shanghai 200433, China.
authors.forename: Xi-Zhi
authors.initials: XZ
authors.lastname: Ma
authors.forename: Li-Jun
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: Cai
authors.forename: Xiao-Hui
authors.initials: XH
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Shou-Yuan
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.forename: Chang-Ben
authors.initials: CB
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Ke-Jing
authors.initials: KJ
authors.lastname: Deng
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D030801:Animals, Genetically Modified; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D004331:Drosophila melanogaster / Q000235:genetics*; D004742:Enhancer Elements, Genetic; D018014:Gene Transfer Techniques; D005796:Genes / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D020648:Peptide Elongation Factor 1 / Q000235:genetics; D029701:Saccharomyces cerevisiae Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; C052130:GAL4 protein, S cerevisiae; D020648:Peptide Elongation Factor 1; D029701:Saccharomyces cerevisiae Proteins; D014157:Transcription Factors