Effects of <i>THAP</i> and <i>ATF-2</i> expression knockdown on development and fertility.

<p>The siRNA vector is driven by the <i>Drosophila hsp70</i> short promoter (see M&M). Constitutive over expression is drive by the immediate early gene promoter (Vyazunova and Lan, 2010). In the co-transfected groups, two expression vectors were added at 1∶1 ratio. In the single expression vector groups, pBS plasmid was added in at 1∶1 ratio to normalized the total amount of expression vector each group received. Thirty larvae were synchronized on Day 1 2^nd instar; siRNA expression was induced via heat shocked at 37°C for 24 hours on Day 1 of 2^nd and 4^th instar, respectively. Heat shock-treatment was not applied to the EGFP and SCP-2EGFP groups. (<b>A</b>) Developmental progression and mortality. The same letters above the bars in each construct represent that the mean values did not differ from other constructs significantly (p>0.05) in paired t-tests within each observation. Lower case letter represents heat shock treated group, capital letter represents non-heat shocked group. (<b>B</b>) Female Fertility (after the 1^st bloodmeal). Fertility is defined as viable 2^nd instar larvae/female. Survived pupae in each group from (Fig. 6A) were separated by sex and adults emerged in separated cages. Adults from each group (8–12) were mated with 10 wild type opposite sex (WF = wild type female or WM = wild type male). Eggs of blood-fed females were hatch 5–6 days after egg deposition. The average fertility/female in each mating group is presented. Mean and standard deviation are shown (N = 3). The same letters above the bars in each construct represent that the mean values did not differ from other constructs significantly (p>0.05) in paired t-tests within each observation. Capital letters above the bar represent non-heat shock groups; lower case letters above the bar represent heat shock-treated groups.