Genome-wide transcriptional analysis of Drosophila ring gland. Drosophila melanogaster

Samples 1-24: Tissue-specific gene expression microarrays (Nimblegen) using dissected ring glands isolated from FOUR different time points of control (w1118, otherwise wild type) third instar larvae. Time points are 4, 8, 24 and 36 hours after the molt from second to third instar larvae. Samples 25-42: Tissue-specific gene expression microarrays (Nimblegen) using dissected ring glands isolated from TWO different time points of third instar larvae. Genotypes were phantom22-GAL4/RasV12 and phantom22/Torso-RNAi. Goal was to identify PTTH-dependent gene sets in the ring gland. Time points were 18 hours and 8 hours prior to puparium formation. Overall design: This study comprises two parts: first, a microarray timecourse on Drosophila wildtype ring gland versus whole body. Two NimbleGen 12X135K chips were used for total RNA isolated from dissected ring glands and whole larvae at four different time points during the third instar (the last larval stage of Drosophila development). The second part reflect gene expression changes in ring glands where we altered PTTH signaling by genetic means. Two 12X135K chips were used for total RNA isolated from ring glands of controls, ring gland-specific Torso-RNAi (phm>torso-RNAi), and RasV12 (phm>RasV12) larvae at two different time points during the larval third instar (18 and 8 hours before puparium formation). Each condition was measured by using three biological samples.