# Defining the genetic and cellular basis of morphological diversity in Drosophila

> **NIH NIH F32** · UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH AT PITTSBURGH · 2020 · $67,446

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY
The overall goal of this proposal is to determine the genetic variants that alter complex three-dimensional
morphologies and to determine how these genes exert their influence on cell number, shape and behavior
during development. Developmental genes that are important in morphogenesis are linked in complex
hierarchies, yet we do not currently know how to prioritize variants within the context of a gene regulatory
network. I will therefore undertake an evolutionary case study at the level of a gene regulatory network to
determine the types of genes that contribute to morphological diversification between species and characterize
their effects on individual cells. To accomplish this goal, I require a system where the gene regulatory network
underlying a quantitative trait is well-understood, and where critical variants can be mapped at the resolution of
individual genes. The posterior lobe in the Drosophila melanogaster clade is particularly well-suited to
connecting genetic variation to morphogenetic outcomes. Recent work has identified many components of the
gene regulatory network controlling posterior lobe development, including patterning molecules (transcription
factors and signaling molecules) and cellular effectors (cytoskeletal regulators). Furthermore, hybrids between
all three species are viable and exhibit intermediate lobe morphologies, which allows for rigorous mapping of
genomic regions contributing to their drastically different phenotypes. In Aim 1, I will map sequences
responsible for quantitative variation in posterior lobe morphology. I will use RNA-seq in species and
hybrids to identify genes containing expression variation, with the expectation that some of these genes
contribute to morphological diversity in the posterior lobe. I will then validate strong candidates using a
CRISPR-based complementation test. In Aim 2, I will determine how patterning molecules and cellular
effectors influence the number, shape and behavior of individual cells. I will use cell labeling and imaging
to measure cell number, size and behavior in posterior lobes derived from mutants, different species and
species hybrids. By completing this proposal, I will connect variation in the gene regulatory network to
molecular mechanisms that dictate cell size and shape, which will develop the posterior lobe as a premier
system for systems-level studies of morphological development and evolution.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10000206
- **Project number:** 5F32GM130034-03
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH AT PITTSBURGH
- **Principal Investigator:** Benjamin James Vincent
- **Activity code:** F32 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $67,446
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2018-09-01 → 2022-04-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10000206

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10000206, Defining the genetic and cellular basis of morphological diversity in Drosophila (5F32GM130034-03). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-21 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10000206. Licensed CC0.

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