Here, we have shown that the mRNA levels of GTPCH/ Punch gene were not significantly decreased in dtorsin-null adult brains (Fig. 7), suggesting that the regulation of GTPCH/ Punch expression is at the post-transcriptional level.
We next asked whether the polyamine putrescine, or the irreversible ODC inhibitor DFMO, or a combination of both agents (to inhibit the DFMO effect) altered gene expression in punch samples from organotypic PVN slice cultures.
They can put together highly simplified gene hunts by punching in letters that represent nucleotides -- A, C, T and G -- and trolling for matches or sequences that might indicate a disease or an inherited trait.
Adult male flies that were heterozygous for a lethal Punch (GTPCH gene) null mutation, Pu Z22/+ (Mackay et al., 1985), exhibit a significant reduction of locomotion activities with 16.7±0.8 seconds spent in motion (n = 44, p<0.0001) (Fig. 1B, column 2), compared to wild type (Fig. 1B, column 1).
In addition to the gene engineered to produce the protein that punches holes in the parasite, Beard and Durvasula have created another gene that helps the bacterium harmlessly flush the parasite out of the insect.
Once again, the selfish gene is the puppeteer pulling the strings: we are all the Punch and Judy of our DNA, acting out our gene-transmitting roles.
And as Adam Smith wrote, beating Richard Dawkins to the punch by a few centuries, self-interest (the selfish gene?) can work for the general interest.
Importantly, several genes from dopamine uptake (Dopamine transporter, DAT) and synthesis (ple coding for TH, Ddc, and punch) were differentially expressed (Table 2, Additional File 1).
Other genes important in insect immune and stress responses, such as the homologs of malvolio and punch [ 97], were constitutively expressed across the controls and infected samples.
In addition to the knockout/knockdown mutants, 3 independent lines of APIP12 overexpression APIP12-OX-69 APIP12-OX-69 APIP12-OX-69 by gene expression (Additional file 4: Figure S4a) were challenged with the virulent isolate KJ201 by both spray and punch inoculations.
