Synteny and Genetic Conservation of the Nicotinamide Amidase Gene in the Drosophila
willistoni and Drosophila bipectinata Species as Compared to Drosophila melanogaster

Presenter: Colbie Lacina

Group Members: Maria Eduarda Cunha

Faculty Sponsor: Jessica Crowley

School: Quinsigamond Community College

Research Area: Genetics

Session: Poster Session 1, 10:30 AM - 11:15 AM, Auditorium, A10

ABSTRACT

This project was done as part of the Genomics Education Partnership’s Pathways Project to catalog trends in evolution in the oxidative stress pathway in varying species of Drosophila fruit flies compared to Drosophila melanogaster. Signaling pathways are crucial for an organism's adaptation to the environment and for regulating oxidative stress. The NAD+ salvage pathway is responsible for defending against oxidative stress. The nicotinamide amidase gene produces an enzyme responsible for sustaining intracellular NAD+ levels required for metabolic homeostasis and cellular stress responses. We examined this gene and its genomic neighborhood in Drosophila willistoni and Drosophila bipectinata in reference to the location within the well-annotated Drosophila melanogaster to determine the extent to which the gene is conserved within both species. This research was conducted by annotating genetic features within the DNA sequence, such as transcription start sites, intron-exon boundaries, protein coding regions, 5’ and 3’ untranslated regions, using UCSC Genome Browser, NCBI BLAST, and FlyBase. By annotating genes across multiple species, we can measure the rate of molecular evolution and discern the variation and constraints in the target gene. The research contributes to the understanding of how pathway genes are structured and how related species change over time.

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