Drosophila Mcm10 is required for DNA replication and differentiation in the compound eye

PLoS One. 2014 Mar 31;9(3):e93450. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0093450. eCollection 2014.

Abstract

Mini chromosome maintenance 10 (Mcm10) is an essential protein, which is conserved from S. cerevisiae to Drosophila and human, and is required for the initiation of DNA replication. Knockdown of Drosophila Mcm10 (dMcm10) by RNA interference in eye imaginal discs induces abnormal eye morphology (rough eye phenotype), and the number of ommatidia is decreased in adult eyes. We also observed a delay in the S phase and M phase in eye discs of dMcm10 knockdown fly lines. These results show important roles for dMcm10 in the progression of S and M phases. Furthermore, genome damage and apoptosis were induced by dMcm10 knockdown in eye imaginal discs. Surprisingly, when we used deadpan-lacZ and klingon-lacZ enhancer trap lines to monitor the photoreceptor cells in eye discs, knockdown of dMcm10 by the GMR-GAL4 driver reduced the signals of R7 photoreceptor cells. These data suggest an involvement of dMcm10 in R7 cell differentiation. This involvement appears to be independent of the apoptosis induced by dMcm10 knockdown. Together, these results suggest that dMcm10 knockdown has an effect on DNA replication and R7 cell differentiation.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Animals, Genetically Modified / genetics
  • Animals, Genetically Modified / metabolism
  • Apoptosis / genetics
  • Cell Differentiation / genetics*
  • Cell Division / genetics
  • DNA Replication / genetics*
  • Drosophila / genetics
  • Drosophila Proteins / genetics*
  • Eye / metabolism*
  • Imaginal Discs / metabolism*
  • Minichromosome Maintenance Proteins / genetics*
  • Neurogenesis / genetics
  • Phenotype
  • Photoreceptor Cells, Invertebrate / metabolism
  • S Phase / genetics

Substances

  • Drosophila Proteins
  • MCM10 protein, Drosophila
  • Minichromosome Maintenance Proteins

Grants and funding

This study was supported by Grants-in-Aid from JSPS and the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology of Japan. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.