Our laboratory studies the mechanisms that govern pattern formation during development of the fruit fly, Drosophila melanogaster. Recent research focuses on two areas:
- translational regulation of maternal mRNAs during specification of the embryonic body plan, and
- cell cycle regulation during both embryonic and imaginal disc development.
Abdominal segmentation is governed by the combined activities of Nanos and Pumilio, which block translation of hunchback mRNA. In addition, we have found that translation of nanos mRNA is essential for normal development.
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