The archipelago tumor suppressor gene limits rb/e2f-regulated apoptosis in developing Drosophila tissues.

ABSTRACT:

Background

The Drosophila archipelago gene (ago) encodes the specificity component of a ubiquitin ligase that targets the cyclin E and dMyc proteins for degradation. Its human ortholog, Fbw7, is commonly lost in cancers, suggesting that failure to degrade ago/Fbw7 targets drives excess tissue growth.

Results

We find that ago loss induces hyperplasia of some organs but paradoxically reduces the size of the adult eye. This reflects a requirement for ago to restrict apoptotic activity of the rbf1/de2f1 pathway adjacent to the eye-specific morphogenetic furrow (MF): ago mutant cells display elevated de2f1 activity, express the prodeath dE2f1 targets hid and rpr, and undergo high rates of apoptosis. These phenotypes are dependent on rbf1, de2f1, hid, and the rbf1/de2f1 regulators

SUBMITTER: Nicholson SC 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2755617 | biostudies-literature | 2009 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature