Affiliations: Departament de Genètica, Facultat de Biologia,
Universitat de Barcelona, 08028 Barcelona, Spain
Note: [] Departament de Genètica, Facultat de Biologia, Universitat de
Barcelona, Diagonal 645, 08028 Barcelona, Spain. Tel.: +34 93 402 1502; Fax:
+34 93 411 0969; E-mail fserras@bio.ub.es
Abstract: To study the function of selenoproteins in development and growth we
have used a lethal mutation ({\it selD^{\it ptuf}}) of the
{\it Drosophila} homologous selenophosphate synthetase ({\it selD}) gene. This
enzyme is involved in the selenoprotein biosynthesis. The {\it
selD^{\it ptuf}} loss-of-function mutation causes aberrant
cell proliferation and differentiation patterns in the brain and imaginal
discs, as deduced from genetic mosaics, patterns of gene expression and
analysis of cell cycle markers. In addition to that, selenium metabolism is
also necessary for the ras/MAPKinase signal tansduction pathway. Therefore, the
use of {\it Drosophila} imaginal discs and brain and in particular the {\it
selD^{\it ptuf}} mutation, provide an excellent model to
investigate the role of selenoproteins in the regulation of cell proliferation,
growth and differentiation.
