Differential brain Ferritin expression in the Drosophila iron transporter mutant

Leach, B., Short, M., Scarboro, J., & Loganathan, R. Differential brain Ferritin expression in the Drosophila iron transporter mutant. -- Fyre in STEM Showcase, 2024.

Abstract

Malvolio (Mvl) is the Drosophila ortholog of the Solute Carrier Protein, which transports metals, including iron. Mvl zygotic loss does not affect viability although a developmental delay is observed in mutants. Loss of Mvl also presents organ genetic defects in the embryo with the abnormalities of the salivary gland well characterized. The developmental anomalies of the brain, if any, have not been investigated. Our objective in this investigation was to delineate the potential physiological defects of brain cell mutants for Mvl. We used the Ferritin 1 HCH GFP protein trap fly line as the control for comparison of iron availability in the brain of Mvl loss-offunction mutant, Mvlexc1. Brain tissue from both the control and mutant animals were dissected and the Ferritin GFP levels at both the larval and adult stages were captured by microscopy. Ferritin 1 GFP intensity level was used as the marker of iron availability for comparison between the controls and mutants. Contrary to our expectation, we observed higher levels of GFP signal from the Mvl mutant brains compared to controls. We are currently investigating whether the high Ferritin level in the mutant brain is a result of increased Ferritin expression in the neuron, Glia, or both. The finding that Mvl mutant brain tissue has higher Ferritin expression compared to the control indicates one or more of the following scenarios: (i) Despite loss of Mvl, brain tissue can access iron, via non-Mvl dependent cellular uptake of iron. (ii) Ferritin expression in brain tissue is uncoupled from cellular iron availability.

Description

Poster and abstract presented at the FYRE in STEM Showcase, 2024.
Research project completed at the Department of Biomedical Engineering and the Department of Biological Sciences.

Publisher

Wichita State University

Series

FYRE in STEM 2024

URI

https://hdl.handle.net/10057/27765

Collections

FYRE in STEM 2024