title: A Drosophila LexA Enhancer-Trap Resource for Developmental Biology and Neuroendocrine Research.
abstract: Novel binary gene expression tools like the LexA-LexAop system could powerfully enhance studies of metabolism, development, and neurobiology in Drosophila However, specific LexA drivers for neuroendocrine cells and many other developmentally relevant systems remain limited. In a unique high school biology course, we generated a LexA-based enhancer trap collection by transposon mobilization. The initial collection provides a source of novel LexA-based elements that permit targeted gene expression in the corpora cardiaca, cells central for metabolic homeostasis, and other neuroendocrine cell types. The collection further contains specific LexA drivers for stem cells and other enteric cells in the gut, and other developmentally relevant tissue types. We provide detailed analysis of nearly 100 new LexA lines, including molecular mapping of insertions, description of enhancer-driven reporter expression in larval tissues, and adult neuroendocrine cells, comparison with established enhancer trap collections and tissue specific RNAseq. Generation of this open-resource LexA collection facilitates neuroendocrine and developmental biology investigations, and shows how empowering secondary school science can achieve research and educational goals.
authors.affiliation: Department of Developmental Biology, Stanford University School of Medicine, California 94305.
authors.forename: Lutz
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Kockel
authors.affiliation: Phillips Exeter Academy, New Hampshire 03833.
authors.forename: Lutfi M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Huq
authors.affiliation: Phillips Exeter Academy, New Hampshire 03833.
authors.forename: Anika
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ayyar
authors.affiliation: Phillips Exeter Academy, New Hampshire 03833.
authors.forename: Emma
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Herold
authors.affiliation: Phillips Exeter Academy, New Hampshire 03833.
authors.forename: Elle
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: MacAlpine
authors.affiliation: Phillips Exeter Academy, New Hampshire 03833.
authors.forename: Madeline
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Logan
authors.affiliation: Phillips Exeter Academy, New Hampshire 03833.
authors.forename: Christina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Savvides
authors.affiliation: Palo Alto High School, California 94306.
authors.forename: Grace E S
authors.initials: GE
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Phillips Exeter Academy, New Hampshire 03833.
authors.forename: Jiapei
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Phillips Exeter Academy, New Hampshire 03833.
authors.forename: Theresa
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Clark
authors.affiliation: Phillips Exeter Academy, New Hampshire 03833.
authors.forename: Trang
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Duong
authors.affiliation: Phillips Exeter Academy, New Hampshire 03833.
authors.forename: Vahid
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Fazel-Rezai
authors.affiliation: Phillips Exeter Academy, New Hampshire 03833.
authors.forename: Deanna
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Havey
authors.affiliation: Phillips Exeter Academy, New Hampshire 03833.
authors.forename: Samuel
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Han
authors.affiliation: Phillips Exeter Academy, New Hampshire 03833.
authors.forename: Ravi
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Jagadeesan
authors.affiliation: Phillips Exeter Academy, New Hampshire 03833.
authors.forename: Eun Soo Jackie
authors.initials: ES
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Phillips Exeter Academy, New Hampshire 03833.
authors.forename: Diane
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Phillips Exeter Academy, New Hampshire 03833.
authors.forename: Kaelina
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Lombardo
authors.affiliation: Phillips Exeter Academy, New Hampshire 03833.
authors.forename: Ida
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Piyale
authors.affiliation: Phillips Exeter Academy, New Hampshire 03833.
authors.forename: Hansen
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Shi
authors.affiliation: Phillips Exeter Academy, New Hampshire 03833.
authors.forename: Lydia
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Stahr
authors.affiliation: Phillips Exeter Academy, New Hampshire 03833.
authors.forename: Dana
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Tung
authors.affiliation: Phillips Exeter Academy, New Hampshire 03833.
authors.forename: Uriel
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Tayvah
authors.affiliation: Phillips Exeter Academy, New Hampshire 03833.
authors.forename: Flora
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Phillips Exeter Academy, New Hampshire 03833.
authors.forename: Ja-Hon
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Phillips Exeter Academy, New Hampshire 03833.
authors.forename: Sarah
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Xiao
authors.affiliation: Pinewood School, Los Altos, California 94022.
authors.forename: Sydni M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Topper
authors.affiliation: Department of Developmental Biology, Stanford University School of Medicine, California 94305.
authors.forename: Sangbin
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Park
authors.affiliation: Science Department, Phillips Exeter Academy, New Hampshire 03833.
authors.forename: Cheryl
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Rotondo
authors.affiliation: Science Department, Phillips Exeter Academy, New Hampshire 03833.
authors.forename: Anne E
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: Rankin
authors.affiliation: Science Department, Phillips Exeter Academy, New Hampshire 03833.
authors.forename: Townley W
authors.initials: TW
authors.lastname: Chisholm
authors.affiliation: Department of Developmental Biology, Stanford University School of Medicine, California 94305 Department of Medicine (Oncology Division), Stanford University School of Medicine, California 94305 seungkim@stanford.edu.
authors.forename: Seung K
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Kim
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002874:Chromosome Mapping; D015509:Developmental Biology / Q000379:methods; D004330:Drosophila / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D029721:Drosophila Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D004742:Enhancer Elements, Genetic; D015870:Gene Expression; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; D017930:Genes, Reporter; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D007814:Larva; D016254:Mutagenesis, Insertional; D009928:Organ Specificity / Q000235:genetics; D012106:Research
chemical_list: D029721:Drosophila Proteins
keywords: Drosophila melanogaster; Drosophila neuro-endocrine system enhancer trap; LexA-LexAop binary expression system