Unraveling Novel Mechanisms of Neurodegeneration Through a Large-Scale Forward Genetic Screen in Drosophila.

ABSTRACT: Neurodegeneration is characterized by progressive loss of neurons. Genetic and environmental factors both contribute to demise of neurons, leading to diverse devastating cognitive and motor disorders, including Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases in humans. Over the past few decades, the fruit fly, Drosophila melanogaster, has become an integral tool to understand the molecular, cellular and genetic mechanisms underlying neurodegeneration. Extensive tools and sophisticated technologies allow Drosophila geneticists to identify and study evolutionarily conserved genes that are essential for neural maintenance. In this review, we will focus on a large-scale mosaic forward genetic screen on the fly X-chromosome that led to the identification of a number of essential genes that exhibit neurode

SUBMITTER: Deal SL 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6339878 | biostudies-literature | 2018

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature