1. Wildtype versus Mutant Ms. Alvarez maribea@uci.edu Arora Lab University of California Irvine Developmental and Cell Biology Department

2. UC Irvine Dr. Kavita Arora Associate Professor J. Cho PhD Student M. Alvarez PhD Student

3. What is the difference between these individuals? Wolverine is a mutant and Ms. Alvarez is wild-type Wild-type is the typical form Mutants are organisms who’s DNA has been altered. These organisms display new characteristics or traits not found in wild-type.

4. Mutations are permanent changes in the DNA sequence of a gene

5. Why do scientist make mutant organisms? The image “http://nfs.unipv.it/nfs/minf/dispense/immunol ogy/nunu_mouse2.jpg” cannot be displayed, because it contains errors. To study the function/ role of the gene that has been mutated.

6. Drosophila Melanogaster, a popular genetic model organism ~ 50% of fly genes have vertebrate homologs Small and easy to grow in lab Short generation time Produce high amounts of offspring

7. Drosophila Melanogaster is used to study the biological processes underlying: Embryonic development Neurodegenerative disorders Diabetes Aging Drug abuse Cancer

8. Myostatin Mutants

9. Project goal: Identify the function of Myostatin in Drosophila Myostatin fly mutants die at pupa stage

10. Dr. Kavita Arora Jane Cho Tiffany Leung Nicole El-Ali Arora Lab Warrior Lab MSP Program NSF-GK-12 grant DGE-0638751 Acknowledgments