Loss of the tumor suppressor Pten promotes proliferation of Drosophila melanogaster cells in vitro and gives rise to continuous cell lines.

ABSTRACT: In vivo analysis of Drosophila melanogaster has enhanced our understanding of many biological processes, notably the mechanisms of heredity and development. While in vivo analysis of mutants has been a strength of the field, analyzing fly cells in culture is valuable for cell biological, biochemical and whole genome approaches in which large numbers of homogeneous cells are required. An efficient genetic method to derive Drosophila cell lines using expression of an oncogenic form of Ras (Ras(V12)) has been developed. Mutations in tumor suppressors, which are known to cause cell hyperproliferation in vivo, could provide another method for generating Drosophila cell lines. Here we screened Drosophila tumor suppressor mutations to test if they promoted cell proliferation in vitro. We generate

SUBMITTER: Justiniano SE 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3283623 | biostudies-literature | 2012

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature