eye | progressive, with Scer\GAL4GMR.PF
Flies expressing Hsap\FUSR524S.Scer\UAS.T:Disc\RFP,T:Ivir\HA1 in the developing eye, under the control of Scer\GAL4GMR.PF, exhibit severe eye abnormalities. They show a reduction in red eye pigment as compared to controls, beginning at eclosion. No necrosis-like darkened area are observed, although rough eye surfaces with disrupted ommatidia and bristle organisation are seen. SEM at higher magnification reveals ommatidial loss, ommatidial fusion, bristle loss or ectopic bristles and aberrant bristle budding in the inter-ommatidial spaces.
1-day-old flies expressing Hsap\FUSR524S.Scer\UAS.T:Disc\RFP,T:Ivir\HA1 under the control of Scer\GAL4ey-OK107 exhibit a decrease in the size of the mushroom bodies and thinner lobes as compared to control flies. Axonal loss and lobe involvement is not symmetric, but often in the a 'group' fashion. Once a particular lobe is affected, it progressively degenerates. In many cases, one of the mushroom bodies may exhibit more degeneration than the mushroom body on the other side.
Expression of Hsap\FUSR524S.Scer\UAS.T:Disc\RFP,T:Ivir\HA1 in the glutamatergic neurons of the ventral nerve cord, under the control of Scer\GAL4ey-OK107 leads to disruption in motor neuron clusters, with cell body swelling in a fraction of motor neurons, especially in the posterior segment.
A significant decrease in neuromuscular junction bouton number is observed in flies expressing Hsap\FUSR524S.Scer\UAS.T:Disc\RFP,T:Ivir\HA1 in glutamatergic neurons of the ventral nerve cord, under the control of Scer\GAL4VGlut-OK371, as compared to controls. No significant difference in bouton size is found in these flies compared to controls.
Larval locomotion is significantly reduced in flies expressing Hsap\FUSR524S.Scer\UAS.T:Disc\RFP,T:Ivir\HA1 under the control of Scer\GAL4VGlut-OK371. These larvae move more slowly with their tails lifted rather than anchored on the supporting surface, possibly as a result of paralysis of the posterior segments. These locomotion defects can be so severe that the flies cannot climb up the wall and/or hardly move.
In respect to eye and motor neuron degeneration, the following transgenes form an allelic series when expressed by Scer\GAL4GMR.PF or Scer\GAL4ey-OK107, from mildest to most severe: Hsap\FUSWT.Scer\UAS.T:Disc\RFP,T:Ivir\HA1 < Hsap\FUSR524S.Scer\UAS.T:Disc\RFP,T:Ivir\HA1 < Hsap\FUSP525L.Scer\UAS.T:Disc\RFP,T:Ivir\HA1.