title: A mosaic genetic screen for Drosophila neoplastic tumor suppressor genes based on defective pupation.
abstract: The Drosophila neoplastic tumor suppressor genes (TSGs) coordinately control cell polarity and proliferation in epithelial and neuronal tissues. While a small group of neoplastic TSG mutations have been isolated and their corresponding genes cloned, the regulatory pathways that normally prevent inappropriate growth remain unclear. Identification of additional neoplastic TSGs may provide insight into this question. We report here the design of an efficient screen for isolating neoplastic TSG mutations utilizing genetically mosaic larvae. This screen is based on a defective pupation phenotype seen when a single pair of imaginal discs is homozygous for a neoplastic TSG mutation, which suggests that continuously proliferating cells can interfere with metamorphosis. Execution of this screen on two chromosome arms led to the identification of mutations in at least seven new neoplastic TSGs. The isolation of additional loci that affect hyperplastic as well as neoplastic growth indicates the utility of this screening strategy for studying epithelial growth control.
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California, Berkeley, California 94720, USA.
authors.forename: Laurent
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Menut
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Vaccari
authors.forename: Heather
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Dionne
authors.forename: Joseph
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hill
authors.forename: Geena
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Bilder
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004330:Drosophila / Q000235:genetics* / Q000254:growth & development; D005123:Eye / Q000254:growth & development; D005260:Female; D017344:Genes, Insect; D005804:Genes, Lethal; D016147:Genes, Tumor Suppressor; D005816:Genetic Complementation Test; D008297:Male; D008675:Metamorphosis, Biological; D009030:Mosaicism; D009154:Mutation; D010641:Phenotype; D011679:Pupa / Q000254:growth & development