8-miR cluster deletion affects mef2 levels in Drosophila melanogaster

Loss of nautilus (MyoD) gene function results in a variable phenotype affecting muscle formation in embryos and larvae, larval movement, pupal eclosion, egg deposition, adult mobility and survival. 8-miR cluster deletion disrupts muscle formation in the embryo while affecting protein production from the nautilus, dMef2 , regulators of the muscle transcriptional network. We propose the complex phenotype in the nautilus null is due to the disruption of the regulatory interactions provided by the 8-miR cluster. The results demonstrate that nautilus is an integral regulator of the miRNA circuitry buffering the transcriptional network directing muscle development. Two-condition experiment, wild type (w1118) vs. mutant (8-miR cluster null). Biological replicates: 3 wild type, 3 mutants, independently isolated. One of the biological replicate was dye swaped to avoid dye bias.