The Role of Ribbon in Gonad Development in Drosophila melanogaster

Studying the gonad of Drosophila melanogaster provides an opportunity to further identify genes that are important for gonad development across species. The gene, ribbon (rib), plays a crucial role in gonad development in Drosophila melanogaster. Our lab’s prior research on adult D. melanogaster has shown that rib is expressed in testes, suggesting that it plays a role in male sexually dimorphic gonad development. However, we do not know what is going on in earlier development as mutant alleles do not survive past embryogenesis. This project involves developing a rib CRISPR line that will allow for the generation of rib mutant cells. This will help us understand the role of Rib in gonad development and gametogenesis in Drosophila and other species