Drosophila Genes

Drosophila genes listed by biochemical function

Enzymes and cofactors exclusive of transmembrane receptor tyrosine kinases and signaling proteins

absent, small, or homeotic discs 1

histone methyl transferase that indirectly prevents gene silencing - provides a specific signal

for establishment of active transcription

armitage

RNA helicase involved in posttranscriptional gene silencing - mutations disrupt mRNA translational silencing

of oskar in the oocyte and silencing of Stellate in male germ cells

Argonaute 2

endonuclease - an essential component for siRNA-directed RNA interference (RNAi) response -

required for the unwinding of siRNA duplex and in consequence, assembly of siRNA into RISC

Argonaute 3

cleaves transposon derived piwi-interacting RNAs to form an adaptive system for transposon control

brainiac

glycosyltransferase - directs glycosphingolipid biosynthesis - functions in oogenesis and EGF-R signaling -

helps maintain epithelial structures

Bre1

E3 ubiquitin ligase required for the monoubiquitination of histone H2B and, indirectly, for H3K4 methylation -

directs histone modification that is critical for the transcription of Notch target genes

capsuléen

protein arginine methyltransferase - together with its partner Valois Capsuléen is involved in protein localization in germ cells -

required for the localization of specific components of the nuage and pole plasm, and in particular of Tudor

cdc6

AAA-superfamily ATP helicase involved in initiation of DNA replication - involved in the formation of the prereplicative complex -

checkpoint protein involved in controlling the G2/M transition

Ceramidase

enzyme that hydrolyzes ceramide to sphingosine, a critical structural components of cell membranes that act as second messengers

in diverse signal transduction cascades - maintains photoreceptor homeostasis - regulates synaptic vesicle exocytosis and trafficking

chameau

histone acetyltransferase - acts as antagonistic cofactor to the histone deacetylase Rpd3 to modulate JNK-dependent

transcription during pupal thorax metamorphosis and JNK-induced apoptosis - recruited by DJun and DFos

Chromodomain-helicase-DNA-binding protein

chromodomain protein in the SNF2-like family of ATPases - functions in assembly of active chromatin

courtless

ubiquitin conjugation enzyme - plays a role in protein degradation - mutation disrupts early steps

of courtship behavior in Drosophila males and the development of their sperm

cryptochrome

potential transcription factor - light response protein - cryptochrome/photolyase

Death caspase-1

ICE/CED-3 protease involved in apoptosis

Death related ced-3/Nedd2-like protein

ICE/CED-3 protease involved in apoptosis

Dicer-1

ribonuclease III family, double-stranded RNA domain binding domain, DEAD/DEAH box helicase, PAZ domain -

an enzyme involved in degrading RNA - involved in double-stranded RNA interference (RNAi)

and post-transcriptional gene regulation (PTGS)

Dicer-2

DEAD/DEAH box helicase - mutants are defective in processing small interfering RNAs

dodo

peptidylprolyl isomerase - facilitates the degradation of the transcription factor CF2, which regulates expression

of the rhomboid gene in follicle cells

domino

DNA helicase/adenosine triphosphatase - component of the Tip60 chromatin-remodeling complex

that acetylates nucleosomal phospho-H2Av and exchanges it with an unmodified H2Av

drosha

ribonuclease - acts on primary microRNA transcripts by cleaving it to excise the pre-microRNA polymer - physically interacts with Pasha,

a double-stranded RNA binding protein

Dynamin related protein 1

a Dynamin GTPase - regulates mitochondrial fission in normal cells including primary spermatocytes -

mediates mitochondrial fragmentation during programmed cell death

Dynein heavy chain 64C

a molecular motor

easter

required for establishment of embryonic polarity - serine protease, trypsin family - generates processed Späzle, which in turn acts as the Toll ligand

ebony

an β-alanyl-dopamine synthase regulating β-alanyl conjugation of dopamine and histamine, thus 'trapping' these biogenic amines

preventing their further function - regulates pigmentation, photoreceptor activity and behavioral rhythmicity

eggless

SET domain hydroxymethyltransferase required for oogenesis - trimethylates histone H3 at its K9 residue

eyes closed

a fly homolog of p47, a protein co-factor of the p97 ATPase involved in membrane fusion -

mutation results in a lethal failure of nuclear envelope assembly in early zygotic divisions

and results in defective photoreceptor morphogenesis

eyes absent (preferred name: clift)

transcriptional co-activator and protein tyrosine phosphatase - cell survival factor - functions in eye development -

also plays a role in the embryonic determination of somatic gonadal precursor (SGP) cell fate

fat facets

conserved Cys and His domains - ubiquitin-specific protease

gastrulation-defective

a protease involved in establishment of dorsal/ventral polarity - targets Snake

Guanylyl cyclase at 76C

cGMP production - receptor-type protein possessing a single transmembrane domain - required for Semaphorin-1a-Plexin A directed repulsive axon guidance

Hen1

RNA methyltransferase - carries out methylation of small interfering RNAs, the final step in assembly of RISC occurring

after the Argonaute-bound siRNA duplex is converted to single-stranded RNA

hiiragi

poly(A) polymerase involved in both nuclear and cytoplasmic polyadenylation of mRNA

HMG Coenzyme A reductase (common alternative name: columbus)

catalyzes the biosynthesis of a mevalonate precursor for isoprenoids - functions in the hedgehog signaling pathway,

implicated in the production of a signal by the somatic gonadal precursor cells that attracts migrating germ cells

hyperplastic discs

a HECT domain E3 ubiquitin ligase that is likely to act by targeting Cubitus interruptus and an unknown activator

of hedgehog expression for proteolysis

Ice

a dowstream effector caspase - activated during spermatogenesis and necessary for the removal

of cytoplasm and the generation of functional sperm

Klp10A

mitotic kinesin required to depolymerize microtubules at their pole-associated minus ends thereby moving chromatids by means of poleward flux

Kinesin heavy chain

plus end directed vesicular transport motor protein

kismet

member of the SWI2/SNF2 family of ATP-dependent chromatin-remodeling factors -

facilitates an early step

in transcriptional elongation by Pol II

kuzbanian

metalloprotease functioning in notch pathway

lazaro

lipid phosphate phosphohydrolase that functions during phototransduction - along with rdgA

regulates amplification and response termination during phototransduction

lesswright (common alternative names: Ubc9 and Semushi)

SUMO E2-conjugating enzyme - stabilizes proteins against ubiquitinization and subsequent degradation -

regulates hematopoiesis - holds the Toll pathway in check

little imaginal discs

trimethyl H3K4 demethylase - physically interacts with Myc to regulator Myc-induced cell growth

MICAL

flavoprotein monooxygenase - large, multidomain protein expressed in axons - interacts with the neuronal Plexin A -

enzymatic function required for Semaphorin 1a/PlexA-mediated repulsive axon guidance

mind-bomb

E3 ubiquitin ligase - regulates endocytosis of Delta and Serrate

mummy

UDP-N-acetylglucosamine diphosphorylase - functions in apical extracellular matrix formation by producing

GlcNAc residues< needed for chitin synthesis and protein glycosylation - regulates cuticle production,

tracheal morphogenesis, and axon guidance

mutagen-sensitive 209 (common alternative name: Proliferating cell nuclear antigen)

Polymerase-delta/epsilon processivity factor

myosin II(preferred name: zipper)

non-muscle myosin

Nedd2-like caspase

cysteine protease - a functional homolog of CED-3/caspase-9 - involved in programmed cell death

neurotic (preferred name: O-fucosyltransferase 1)

modifies Notch by attaching fucose within EGF domains - positively required for Notch signaling,

essential for the physical interaction of Notch with its ligand Delta and for the ability of Fringe

to modulate this interaction

nicastrin

component of a proteolytic complex, along with Presenilin, that targets Notch and ß amyloid protein -

Zn-dependent exopeptidase

Nitric oxide synthase

Ca++/Calmodulin sensitive enzyme

no receptor potential A

phosphatidylinositol-specific phospholipase C used in visual and odor signal transduction

non-stop

ubiquitin-specific protease expressed in glia - involved in development of laminal glia

Nucleolar protein at 60B

pseudouridylate synthase - enzymatically modifies ribosomal RNA -

required for maintenance of germ-line stem cells

nudel

serine protease - docking protein - dorsal group

Nucleosome assembly protein

Histone chaperone - chromatin assembly

O-fucosyltransferase 1 (alternative name: neurotic)

modifies Notch by attaching fucose within EGF domains - positively required for Notch signaling,

essential for the physical interaction of Notch with its ligand Delta and for the ability

of Fringe to modulate this interaction

okra

DNA helicase involved in DNA repair - required for meiosis

Ornithine decarboxylase antizyme (common alternative name: gutfeeling)

modifies the activity of Ornithine decarboxylase - regulates the nuclear entry and overall levels

of Sex-lethal in early germ cells

parkin

ubiquitin protein ligase - degrades proteins with aberrant conformations - mutants exhibit muscle degeneration,

male sterility, and defects in brain dopaminergic cells

pavarotti

a kinesin motor protein - required both to establish the structure of the telophase spindle to provide a framework

for assembly of the contractile ring and to mobilize mitotic regulator proteins

Pcaf (common alternative name: Gcn5)

a major histone H3 acetylase in Drosophila that plays a key role in the control of specific morphogenetic cascades

during developmental transitions

Peptidylglycine-alpha-hydroxylating monooxygenase

an enzyme that targets neuropeptides

phyllopod

novel target of ras pathway - protein degradation cofactor

pipe

heparan sulfate 2-O-sulfotransferase

poly(A) polymerase (preferred name: hiiragi)

involved in both nuclear and cytoplasmic polyadenylation of mRNA

porcupine

O-acyltransferase activity - mediates lipidation of Wingless, which targets Wingless to secretory vesicles that deliver the ligand

to specialized microdomains at the cell surface where it can be packaged for secretion

pr-set

Set domain protein - methyltransferase that targets Histone H4 - helps maintain silent chromatin by a histone modification

that precludes neighboring acetylation of the H4 tail

Proliferating cell nuclear antigen (preferred name: Mutagen-sensitive 209)

Polymerase-delta/epsilon processivity factor

pumpless

glycine cleavage system H protein - involved in appetite control

Rad51-like (common alternative name: spindle A)

checkpoint protein essential for recombinational repair of double-stranded

DNA breaks (DSBs) in somatic cells and during meiosis in germ cells

rasp (common alternative name: Sightless)

acetyltransferase acting to acylate Hedgehog or to promote other modifications or trafficking events

necessary for Hedgehog function

Reptin

member of AAA+ family of ATPases - DNA helicase - participates in epigenetic processes

leading to a repressive chromatin state as part of the TIP60 HAT complex

rhomboid-7

transmembrane mitochondrial protease required for spermatogenesis and muscle maturation

Separase

endopeptidase required for sister chromatid separation during mitosis

serpentine and vermiform

polysaccharide deacetylase - converts chitin to chitosan - required to assemble

cable-like extracellular matrix and restrict tracheal tube elongation

serpin-27A

protease inhibitor functioning in the immune response - regulates melanization cascade through specific inhibition

of the terminal protease (prophenoloxidase-activating enzyme)

Set2

Histone 3 methyltransferase involved in dosage compensation, puparium formation and adult development

Seven in absentia

targets proteins to degradation - C3HC4 RING zinc-finger motif

shaggy (common alternative name: zeste white 3)

glycogen synthase kinase - segment polarity - functions in the Wingless signaling pathway

sightless (preferred name: Rasp)

acetyltransferase acting to acylate Hedgehog or to promote other modifications or trafficking events

necessary for Hedgehog function

Sir2

histone deacetylase required for euchromatic and heterochromatic silencing - interacts genetically and

physically with members of the Hairy/Deadpan/E(Spl) family of bHLH euchromatic repressors

smallminded

AAA-protein family - ATPase

Smurf1

ubiquitin-protein ligase that regulates Decapentaplegic pathway signaling by targeting Mothers

against Dpp for degradation

spastin

AAA (ATPase Associated with diverse cellular Activities) family member - regulates microtubule stability -

mutants show defects in synaptic growth and neurotransmission

Stellate

ß subunit of Casein kinase II - a normally inactive gene which, when active, leads to male sterility - a target of

post-transcriptional gene regulation

stem cell tumor (also known as rhomboid-2)

Rhomboid-related transmembrane protein - serine-type protease - activates the oocyte-specific Gurken ligand and

thereby participate in defining posterior cell fates in the early follicular epithelium

Suppressor of variegation 3-3

homolog of the human LSD1 amine oxidase - demethylates H3K4me2 and H3K4me1 and facilitates subsequent H3K9 methylation by SU(VAR)3-9 -

dictates the distinction between euchromatic and heterochromatic domains during early embryogenesis

Suppressor of variegation 3-9

involved in gene silencing - a modifier of position effect variegation - methylates histone H3 thus providing a mark

for the association of HP1 to heterochromatin

tout-velu

acetylglucosaminyltransferase - involved in heparan sulfate proteoglycan biosynthesis -

affects diffusion of Wingless, Hedgehog and Decapentaplegic

twin

degrades mRNA poly(A) tails - CCR4 componenet of an enzyme complex catalyzing mRNA deadenylation

vihar

E2 ubiquitin-conjugating enzyme - contributes to the spatiotemporal control of Cyclin B degradation

that occurs first during mitosis at the spindle poles

wunen and wunen-2

lipid phosphate phosphohydrolases - somatic Wun and Wun2 provide a repulsive environment for germ cell migration

by depleting an extracellular, attractive substrate - in germ cells Wun2 competes with somatic Wun and Wun2

for a common lipid phosphate substrate, which is required by germ cells to produce a survival signal

zipper

Myosin II or non-muscle myosin

Drosophila genes listed by biochemical function

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