Meeting Abstract
We are using dosage-sensitive genetics to better understand the biology that governs the Drosophila larval forager to wanderer (f-t-w) transition. The f-t-w transition occurs late in larval development, as larvae prepare to pupate. Previously we had uncovered a dosage-sensitive genetic interaction between the zinc-finger transcription factor Sequoia and the Rho-GEF Trio that disrupts the f-t-w transition. We now report that selective expression of Trio in the larval class IV da sensory neurons that tile the larval body wall completely rescues this disruption. On-going work aims to characterize the morphology and the functionality of the class IV da sensory neurons between these disrupted and rescued larvae.
