Edward M. Berger
Professor of Biological Sciences
Research Areas: Developmental Biology, Regulation of Gene Expression
Molecular Biology of Drosophila Development
We are studying the hormonal regulation of post-embryonic development in Drosophila using both genetics and molecular biology. There are two areas of work in progress. The first examines the nature of gene regulation by the steroid hormone, ecdysone. Current work in this area focuses on the ecdysone inducible Broad-Complex (BR-C) gene and the role that BR-C protein isoforms play in conferring stage and tissue specific expression on genes downstream in the ecdysone hierarchy. Second, we are studying the mechanism of juvenile hormone (JH) action, especially the role JH plays in promoting ovary maturation and in creating the pool of maternally inherited mRNAs that support early embryonic development.
Publications
Dubrovsky, E., Dubrovskaya, V., Berger, E., Juvenile hormone signalling during oogenesis in Drosophila melanogaster. Insect Biochemistry and Molecular Biology 32, 1555-1565, (2002).
Semepere, L, Sokol, N., Dubrovsky, E., Berger, E., Ambros, V., Temporal regulation of microRNA expression in Drosophila melanogaster mediated by hormonal signals and Broad-Complex gene activity. Developmental Biology 259, 9-18, (2003).
Dubrovsky, E., Dubrovskaya, V., Berger, E., Hormonal regulation and functional role of Drosophila E75A orphan nuclear receptor in the juvenile hormone signalling pathway. Developmental Biology 268, 258-270, (2004).
Dubrovskaya, V., Berger, E., Dubrovsky, E., Juvenile hormone regulation of the E75 nuclear receptor is conserved in Diptera and Lepidoptera. Gene 340. 171-177, (2004).
Berger, E., Dubrovsky, E., Dubrovskaya, V., Inhibition of micro-RNA induced RNA silencing by 2'-O-methyl oligonucleotides in Drosophila S2 cells. In Vitro: Animal Development 41, 12-18, (2005).
Berger, E., Dubrovsky, E., Juvenile hormone: molecular actions and interactions during development of Drosophila. Viamins and Hormones 75, 175-215, (2005).