Investigation of CRISPR-induced mutants of the putative scramblase gene CG32579 in nurse cell clearance in the Drosophila ovary

Abstract

Programmed cell death is vital for maintaining an organism’s survival and health and ensuring normal development. Cell corpses are engulfed by either professional phagocytes, like macrophages, or nonprofessional phagocytes. In the Drosophila ovary, stretch follicle cells act as nonprofessional phagocytes to clear nurse cell corpses from egg chambers during oogenesis. In mammalian systems, scramblases such as TMEM16F and Xkr8 are responsible for exposing phosphatidylserine to the cell exterior of dying cells, producing an “eat me” signal. This project explored the effects of mutagenesis via CRISPR/Cas9 editing on the Drosophila Xkr8 ortholog, CG32579, by observing egg chambers of CG32579 single mutants, double mutants with the TMEM16 family member subdued, and subdued mutants alone. The single CG32579 mutants that were observed did not show a phenotype related to nurse cell clearance, and the subdued and double mutants showed a weak persisting nuclei phenotype. These findings suggest that CG32579 and subdued do not play major roles in nurse cell clearance in the Drosophila ovary.