Identification of a Suppressor of Retinal Degeneration in Drosophila Photoreceptors

Abstract

During sensory transduction, Drosophila photoreceptors experience substantial increases in intracellular Ca²⁺ levels ([Ca²⁺]_i). Nevertheless in a number of mutants associated with excessive Ca²⁺ influx through transient receptor potential (TRP) channels, Drosophila photoreceptors undergo loss of normal cellular structure manifest as a retinal degeneration. However, the molecular mechanisms that underpin this degeneration process remain unclear. The authors previously isolated a mutant, su(40), that is able to suppress the retinal degeneration seen in photoreceptors from loss-of-function alleles of rdgA that are known to have constitutively active TRP channels. Here the authors report the genetic mapping of su(40) as well the isolation of additional alleles of su(40). Studies of su(40) as well as these new alleles should facilitate the understanding of the mechanisms by which excessive Ca²⁺ influx results in retinal degeneration.

Keywords::

• calcium
• Drosophila
• neurodegeneration
• photoreceptors
• phosphoinositides
• retinal degeneration

Declaration of interest: The authors report no conflicts of interest. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of the paper.

This work was supported by a David Phillips Fellowship from the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council, U.K to P.R. and a Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council, U.K project grant to R.C.H.