The Gurken protein determines the difference between the front, back, and bottom in a fruit fly (Drosophila melanogaster) embryo.
Body axes develop in a growing fruit fly egg cell because the protein occurs at some spots more than others. In his doctoral thesis, Bram Herpers describes the two mechanisms that account for the asymmetric distribution of Gurken in the cell. First of all, the cellular sorting system transfers the protein to the outside of the cell at some points and not at others. In addition, at some spots the genetic blueprint – RNA – is converted into protein and at other points this does not take place.
Bram Herpers received his PhD from Utrecht University on December 12. The title of his doctoral thesis is, “Asymmetric localization of Gurken protein and mRNA in the oocyte of Drosophila melanogaster.”