Activating eggs and stimulating reproduction: the molecular view from Drosophila (and beyond).

Abstract: Successful reproduction in internal-fertilizing animals requires molecular modification of both the oocyte and the female. Oocytes must “activate”, transitioning from meiotic and molecular arrest to the totipotency of early embryogenesis after fertilization. The female’s physiology must change to support her reproductive success, egg production, and her progeny. Versions of these phenomena are universal, including in human fertility and that of insect vectors of diseases like Dengue and Zika. But they can be particularly well dissected using model-organisms such as Drosophila fruit flies. This talk will present results from studies using this model to dissect mechanisms that activate eggs, and others to elucidate mechanisms that stimulate the female’s reproductive capacity. We will see that egg activation is accompanied by a rise in calcium levels in the egg which, in turn, modifies the egg’s proteins to transition to embryogenesis. We will then consider how the female’s physiological state is modified by seminal proteins that she receives during mating, and how these male-derived proteins act to stimulate her egg production, including a signal that activates her eggs. The talk will conclude by summarizing how these findings inform our understanding of mechanisms of egg activation and seminal protein actions in animals more generally.

biochemistrycancer biologychemical biologycell biologydevelopmental biologydrug discoveryevolutiongeneticsimmunologymolecular biologymicrobiologyneuroscienceplant sciencessystems biologybiotechnologybiological techniquesbiophysics

Audience: researchers in the discipline

( video )

Comments: Organizers can be reached out at 22100032@lums.edu.pk for the Zoom link.

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Colloquium zooming Molecular & Cellular Biology LUMS

Series comments: Zooming Molecular & Cellular Biology Colloquium was initiated on July 28th, 2020 by the Biology department at Syed Babar Ali School of Science & Engineering (SBASSE), Lahore University of Management Sciences (LUMS). The series follows through various topics which come under the ambit of Molecular and Cellular Biology and we’ve had the pleasure and honor of hosting some of the most knowledgeable scientists from around the globe. Organizers can be reached out at 24100162@lums.edu.pk or 24100001@lums.edu.pk for the Zoom link of individual talks. All lectures are LIVE streamed on SBASSE's official Facebook page.

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