• Molecules and Cells
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• v.26 no.6
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• pp.606-610
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• 2008

Phenoloxidase (PO), a melanin-forming enzyme around the foreign bodies, is an important component of the host defense system in invertebrates. Pro-PO is the enzymatically inactive zymogen form of PO. In the Drosophila genome, three Pro-PO isoforms have been identified to date. These include Pro-PO1 and 2, which are primarily expressed in crystal cells, and Pro-PO3, which is predominantly found in the lamellocytes. In this study, we demonstrated that Drosophila Pro-PO3, but not Pro-PO1 or 2, is enzymatically active in its zymogen form. These findings were evidenced by spectacular melanin forming capacities of various cells and tissues that overexpressed these pro-enzymes. Furthermore, the melanization phenotype observed in the lamellocyte-enriched $hop^{Tum-l}$ mutant was drastically reduced in the absence of PPO3, indicating that PPO3 plays a major role in the lamellocyte-mediated spontaneous melanization process. Taken together, these findings indicate that the biochemical properties, activation mode and in vivo role of Pro-PO3 are likely distinct from those of the other two Pro-PO enzymes involved in Drosophila physiology.

• BMB Reports
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• v.41 no.2
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• pp.102-107
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• 2008

Extracellular proteases play an important role in a wide range of host physiological events, such as food digestion, extracellular matrix degradation, coagulation and immunity. Among the large extracellular protease family, serine proteases that contain a "paper clip"-like domain and are therefore referred to as CLIP-domain serine protease (clip-SP), have been found to be involved in unique biological processes, such as immunity and development. Despite the increasing amount of biochemical information available regarding the structure and function of clip-SPs, their in vivo physiological significance is not well known due to a lack of genetic studies. Recently, Drosophila has been shown to be a powerful genetic model system for the dissection of biological functions of the clip-SPs at the organism level. Here, the current knowledge regarding Drosophila clip-SPs has been summarized and future research directions to evaluate the role that clip-SPs play in Drosophila immunity are discussed.

• Animal Systematics, Evolution and Diversity
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• v.11 no.4
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• pp.469-477
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• 1995

Drosophila lacertosa and D. sordidula are members of the robusta species group in virilis section of Drosophila. The mtDNA of both species was analyzed, using 10 restriction endonucleases. The mtDNA genome size of D. lacertosa and D. sordidula was 15.7 kbp, altogether, and the numbers of mtDNA fragment were 26 and 32, respectively. Restriction cleavage map of mtDNA in these species was constructed. The patterns of cleavage map were very different between two species and it means that speciation was taken for a long time ago.

• The Korean Journal of Zoology
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• v.4 no.1
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• pp.29-31
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• 1961

At the altitude of approximately 250 of Mt. Sori located in Kyung-gi Co, Korea authers have made a field collection of Drosophila during June, 1 and 15, 1961, and found about 30 specimens which seemed to be a new species belonging to Genus Drosophila, Subgenus Hirtodrosophila. AUthors have named the species : D. macromaculata sp. nov. " Its Korean name is given , : Uluck-muni-chopari". This species is very similar to Drosophila cheda in its external feature and especially it that each of four stripes in the mesonotum is cut into tow, and it also resembles with Drosophila calloptera in that it has three distinct spots in the wing. Its first segment of abdomen is yellow-brown in color while both end points are black. The second segment is black and in its middle part there yellow-brownish strips of V form, the peripheral part of which are found two spots of yellow brownish color. On third to fifth segments of male and on third to sixth segments of female there are fod-form spots, one on each segment, and on both sides of these rods two smaller spots are found in each segment. This species is clearly a fungus feeder and its breeding in authers laboratory is at present, not attained. Holotype : male , Kwang-nung, Kyung -gi Do, South Korea, 1 Male June, 1, 1961. Allotype : female, collected together with holotype. Paratype : Kwang-nung, Male 16 and female 12. Distribution : South Korea. Collecting method : Net sweeping on the decayed trees.yed trees.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.43 no.3
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• pp.304-311
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• 2020

Methionyl-tRNA synthetase (MRS) is essential for translation. MRS mutants reduce global translation, which usually increases lifespan in various genetic models. However, we found that MRS inhibited Drosophila reduced lifespan despite of the reduced protein synthesis. Microarray analysis with MRS inhibited Drosophila revealed significant changes in inflammatory and immune response genes. Especially, the expression of anti-microbial peptides (AMPs) genes was reduced. When we measured the expression levels of AMP genes during aging, those were getting increased in the control flies but reduced in MRS inhibition flies age-dependently. Interestingly, in the germ-free condition, the maximum lifespan was increased in MRS inhibition flies compared with that of the conventional condition. These findings suggest that the lifespan of MRS inhibition flies is reduced due to the down-regulated AMPs expression in Drosophila.

• The Korean Journal of Zoology
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.19-22
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• 1965

Scaptomyza 속의 1 신종, drosophila 속의 2 신종의 기재와 Amiota 속의 한국미기록2 종을 기록했다. Scaptomyza(Scaptomyza) choi.sp.nov. 제주 -각씨 초파리(신칭) , Drosophila (Hirtodrosophila) nigripennis sp. nov. 검은톱니-초파리(신칭), Drosophila (Hirtodrosophila) pseudonokogiri sp.nov. 헛톱니-초파리(신칭) Amiota (Amiota) stylopyga WAKAHAMA& OKADA ， 1958 Amiota (Amiota) dispina OKADA, 1960.

• Animal cells and systems
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• v.2 no.1
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• pp.113-116
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• 1998

A cDNA clone coding for ribosomal protein 46 (rp46) which is a component of 60S ribosomal large subunit has been identified from Drosophila melanogaster. A cDNA clone encoding S. cerevisiae rp46 was used as a probe to screen a Drosophila larvae cDNA library. The DNA sequence analysis revealed that the cDNA coding for Drosophils rp46 contains a complete reading frame of 153 nucleotides coding for 51 amino acids. The deduced amino acid sequence showed 71-75% homology with those of other eukaryotic organisms. Northern blot analysis showed that about 1-kb rp46 transcripts are abundant throughout fly development. Whole mount embryonic mRNA in situ hybridization also showed no preferential distribution of the transcripts to any specific region. The chromosomal in situ hybridization revealed that the identified gene is localized at position 60C on the right arm of the second polytene chromosome with a possibility of single copy.

• BMB Reports
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• v.38 no.2
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• pp.121-127
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• 2005

Drosophila protects itself from infection by microbial organisms by means of its pivotal defense, the so-called innate immunity system. This is its sole defense as it lacks an adaptive immunity system such as is found in mammals. The strong conservation of innate immunity systems in organisms from Drosophila to mammals, and the ease with which Drosophila can be manipulated genetically, makes this fly a good model system for investigating the mechanisms of virulence of a number of medically important pathogens. Potentially damaging endogenous and/or exogenous challenges sensed by specific receptors initiate signals via the Toll and/or Imd signaling pathways. These in turn activate the transcription factors Dorsal, Dorsal-related immune factor (Dif) and Relish, culminating in transcription of genes involved in the production of antimicrobial peptides, melanization, phagocytosis, and the cytoskeletal rearrangement required for appropriate responses. Clarifying the regulatory interactions between the various pathways involved is very important for understanding the specificity and termination mechanism of the immune response.

• BMB Reports
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• v.41 no.4
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• pp.267-277
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• 2008

Insects mount a robust innate immune response against a wide array of microbial pathogens. The hallmark of the Drosophila humoral immune response is the rapid production of anti-microbial peptides in the fat body and their release into the circulation. Two recognition and signaling cascades regulate expression of these antimicrobial peptide genes. The Toll pathway is activated by fungal and many Gram-positive bacterial infections, whereas the immune deficiency (IMD) pathway responds to Gram-negative bacteria. Recent work has shown that the intensity and duration of the Drosophila immune response is tightly regulated. As in mammals, hyperactivated immune responses are detrimental, and the proper down-modulation of immunity is critical for protective immunity and health. In order to keep the immune response properly modulated, the Toll and IMD pathways are controlled at multiple levels by a series of negative regulators. In this review, we focus on recent advances identifying and characterizing the negative regulators of these pathways.

• The Korean Journal of Zoology
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• v.38 no.2
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• pp.220-229
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• 1995

uftraspirocle (usa) gene product (Uspl is a member of the superfamilv of steroid hormone receptors in Drosophila melonogaster which mediate the hormone action by heteromerization with ecdvsone receptor (EcR). Based on the genetic and molecular characterization of usp, it has been proposed that Usp funtions in at least three significant developmental pathway: embrvogenesis, eve morphogenesis, and female reproduction. In this study, the expression patterns of Usp were investigated by immunohistochemistrv in individual tissues from diHernt developmental stases of Drosophila. Usp is localized in the nucleus with ubiquitous distribution throughout development. Usp expression is detected throughout embrvogenesis. Usp is expressed in imaginal and lanral tissues from late third instar 18nra. The expression pattern of Usp is overlapped by those of EcR. Also Usp is expressed in differentiating adult reproductive organs. This result suggests that Usp is not a transcriptional regulatory factor modulating hormonal response during development, but also play some roles in female and male reproduction of Drosophila.