Research Information
Research Interests
The Mizutani lab is currently investigating how specific gene expression patterns arise and how they evolve to produce different tissues and life forms. Nature has been experimenting with gene networks for several million years to modify gene expression, cell fates and cell sizes, time of development and the organization of tissues. However, very little is known about how these changes are implemented in highly conservative systems to generate novel functions and adaptations. To address this problem, we have been using the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster to investigate the patterning mechanisms that operate in the formation of the dorsal-ventral embryonic axis. This patterning is essential since it organizes three embryonic layers from which the epidermis, muscles and the nervous system later develop. Complementarily to this study, we also began comparing gene expression domains along the dorsal-ventral axis in closely related Drosophila species with virtually identical genomes, but distinct developmental times, body complexions and behaviors. By using a combination of genetic techniques to re-engineer cell fate and size, imaging, quantitative analyses of multiple gene expression and modeling, we expect to test the generality of the mechanisms uncovered by experimentation in D. melanogaster and identify genes that modulate the dorsal-ventral subdivision, allowing this pattern to evolve while preserving its basic functionality.