Lighting Up Gene Activation in Living Drosophila Embryos

Methods Mol Biol. 2019:2038:63-74. doi: 10.1007/978-1-4939-9674-2_5.

Abstract

With its rapid development, ease of collection, and the presence of a unique layer of nuclei located close to the surface, the Drosophila syncytial embryo is ideally suited to study the establishment of gene expression patterns during development. Recent improvements in RNA labeling technologies and confocal microscopy allow for visualizing gene activation and quantifying transcriptional dynamics in living Drosophila embryos. Here we review the available tools for mRNA fluorescent labeling and detection in live embryos and precisely describe the overall procedure, from design to mounting and confocal imaging.

Keywords: Drosophila; Embryo; Live imaging; MS2/MCP system; Transcription; mRNA.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Animals, Genetically Modified
  • Drosophila melanogaster / embryology
  • Drosophila melanogaster / genetics
  • Drosophila melanogaster / metabolism*
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental
  • Microscopy, Confocal*
  • Molecular Imaging / methods*
  • RNA, Messenger / genetics
  • RNA, Messenger / metabolism*
  • Single Molecule Imaging / methods*
  • Time Factors
  • Transcriptional Activation*

Substances

  • RNA, Messenger