Abstract
ABSTRACTWe previously identified the Drosophila yata mutant, which showed phenotypes including progressive vacuolization of the white-coloured compound eye, progressive shrinkage of the brain and a shortened lifespan. The yata gene was shown to be involved in controlling intracellular trafficking of the Amyloid precursor protein-like protein, which is an orthologue of Amyloid precursor protein, which is a causative molecule of Alzheimer's disease. In this study, we examined the phenotype of the compound eye of the yata mutant using electron microscopy and confocal microscopy. We found that abnormal cellular structures that seemed to originate from bleb-like structures and contained vesicles and organelles, such as multivesicular bodies and autophagosomes, were observed in aged white; yata mutants and aged white mutants. These structures were not observed in newly eclosed flies and the presence of the structures was suppressed in flies grown under constant dark conditions after eclosion. The structures were not observed in newly eclosed red-eyed yata mutants or wild-type flies, but were observed in very aged red-eyed wild-type flies. Thus, our data suggest that the observed structures are formed as a result of changes associated with exposure to light after eclosion in white mutants, white; yata mutants and aged flies.
Highlights
The compound eye of Drosophila melanogaster is a useful model system to study the mechanisms of development and maintenance of the visual system, because a variety of genetic techniques can be applied (Gaspar et al, 2018; Kumar, 2018; Lorincz et al, 2016; Montell, 2012; Perry et al, 2017)
Abnormal cellular structures were observed in the compound eyes of aged white; yata and aged white mutant flies To clarify the mechanisms underlying the degenerative changes that occur in the nervous system of yata mutants, we observed the phenotypes of the compound eyes of yata mutants in detail using electron microscopy
We found that abnormal cellular structures were often observed in locations adjacent to rhabdomeres in ommatidia at both the R8 and R7 levels in day 29 white; yata mutants (Fig. 1A, arrows)
Summary
The compound eye of Drosophila melanogaster is a useful model system to study the mechanisms of development and maintenance of the visual system, because a variety of genetic techniques can be applied (Gaspar et al, 2018; Kumar, 2018; Lorincz et al, 2016; Montell, 2012; Perry et al, 2017). The compound eye is composed of approximately 800 unit eyes, or ommatidia, with each ommatidium containing eight photoreceptor neurons designated R1 to R8. Each photoreceptor neuron has densely stacked membrane structures consisting of microvilli called rhabdomeres, the membrane of which contains signalling proteins belonging to the phototransduction. Because R7 is located at the distal side of the retina, while R8 is located at the proximal side of the retina just beneath R7, seven rhabdomeres can always be observed on tangential sections of an ommatidium. R7- and R8-level ommatidia can be distinguished by their distinct arrangements of rhabdomeres
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