Analysis of the Asymmetric Gene Expression between the Left and Right Hemispheres of Drosophila Brain ()
ABSTRACT
Studying the molecular
mechanism of brain asymmetry can provide important clues to understand neurological
diseases and psychiatric disorders related to brain lateralization. In this paper,
asymmetric gene expression in the left/right hemispheres of Drosophila brain was genome-widely analyzed
to help understand the molecular mechanism of brain asymmetry. Using microarray
analysis of total RNAs of the left/right brain hemispheres, thirty-eight genes were
found to be differentially expressed in the left/right hemispheres. This result
supports that Drosophila brain is asymmetrical
at the molecular level. Among thirty-eight genes, six genes of interests were chosen
for further analysis based on their protein structures or previous studies: dpr6, CG13299, CG13068, Lim3, CG43759, and Ir21a. Those six genes encode proteins that serve
various functions like neural gene expression, memory control, ion channel, and
membrane receptor. Surprisingly, all six genes of interests have their peak expression
during the early embryonic stages, suggesting that they may play a role in the developmental
stage of brain lateralization. Overall, these findings of differential gene expressions
in the left/right brain hemispheres can serve as a basic foundation for further
research on the understanding of the molecular mechanism of brain asymmetry.
Share and Cite:
Chung, W. (2015) Analysis of the Asymmetric Gene Expression between the Left and Right Hemispheres of
Drosophila Brain.
Journal of Behavioral and Brain Science,
5, 440-447. doi:
10.4236/jbbs.2015.510042.