Amanda Simcox

Focus

The role of oncogenes, tumor suppressors and Egfr signaling in growth control and development in Drosophila

Research interests

We study EGF receptor signaling in Drosophila development focusing mainly on the ligand called Vein (Vn), which by similarity is the fly neuregulin. Neuregulins are activators of the Egfr/erbB receptors in vertebrates and play important roles in development and disease. We are currently characterizing the mechanisms that control biological activity of Vn. The promoter region is being analyzed and this has revealed that vn is a direct target of Egfr signaiing. This forms a feedback loop for sustained ligand production.

To discover new components in the Egfr pathway, we have used microarrays, genetic screens and yeast two-hybrid assays. The function of these new genes is being tested using reverse genetics.

A new project in the lab is to analyze the role of oncogenes and tumor suppressor in vitro. Potent stimulators of cell proliferation have been identified and over 40 new cell lines have been generated. One of these is epithelial-like and is being developed as a model for Egfr signaling.

 

 

Simcox Lab Members:

Graduate students: Litty Paul, Steven Justiniano
Undergraduate Students: Anne Matthew, Nurra Moalim, Daniel Acosta

Research Staff: Sharon Truesdell

 

Publications

• Jacobsen, T..J., Cain, D., Paul, L., Justiniano, S., Alli, A., Mullins, J., Wang, CP., Butchar, J.P. and Simcox, A. (2006). Functional analysis of genes differentially expressed in the Drosophila wing disc: Role of transcripts enriched in the wing region. Genetics 174, 1973-1982.
• Donaldson, T., Wang, S-H., Jacobsen, T.L., Schnepp, B., Price, J., and Simcox, A. (2004) Regulation of the Drosophila EGF-ligand Vein is mediated by multiple domains. Genetics. 167, 687-98.
• Butler, M., Jacobsen, T., Cain, D.M., Jarman, M., Hubank, M., Whittle, J.R.S., Phillips, R. and Simcox, A. (2003). Identification of genes differentially expressed in the Drosophila wing disc using high-density DNA oligonucleotide arrays. Development 130, 659-670.
• Martin J.F., Hersperger E., Simcox A., Shearn A.. (2000) minidiscs encodes a putative amino acid transporter subunit required non-autonomously for imaginal cell proliferation. Mech. Dev. 92, 155-167.