Seth S. Blair

 

 

Neuronal Development and Pattern Formation in Drosophila

E-mail: ssblair@wisc.edu

Research Strength: Development: Plasticity and Repair

We are pursuing three main avenues of research, using as our model the wing of the fruitfly, Drosophila melanogaster. First, we have been examining the formation of the peripheral nervous system of the wing. The peripheral sensory organs arise during metamorphosis from the single-layered epithelium of the wing imaginal disc, and do so in an extremely stereotyped fashion. We are using a variety of genetic and molecular techniques to test models for how the choice is made between neuronal and non-neuronal fates, examining especially the role of cell signaling via the Wingless and Notch pathways in sharpening those choices. Second, we have been examining the role of the lineage "compartments," and the manner in which transcompartmental signaling via the Notch and Hedgehog pathways specifies lineage boundaries and the axes of developing appendages. Finally, we have been examining the mechanisms of BMP-like signaling during the formation of veins and neuronal tissues.

Lab Website:

https://mywebspace.wisc.edu/ssblair/web/

Selected Publications:

• O’Connor, M.B., D. Umulis, H. Othmer, and S.S. Blair. 2006. Shaping BMP morphogen gradients in the Drosophila embryo and pupal wing. Development 133: 183-193.
• Shimmi, O.*, A. Ralston*, S.S. Blair, and M.B. O’Connor. 2005. The crossveinless gene encodes a new member of the Twisted gastrulation family of BMP binding proteins which, with Short gastrulation, promotes BMP signaling in the crossveins of the Drosophila wing. Dev. Biol. 282: 70-83. (*co-first authors)
• Serpe, M., A. Ralston, S.S. Blair, and M.B. O’Connor. 2005. Matching catalytic activity to developmental function: Tolloid-related processes Sog to help specify the posterior crossvein in the Drosophila wing. Development 132: 2645-2656.
• Ralston, A. and S.S. Blair. 2005. Long-range Dpp signaling is regulated to restrict BMP signaling to a crossvein competent zone. Dev. Biol. 280: 187-200.
• Blair, S.S. 2005. Cell Signaling: Wingless and Glypicans together again. Curr. Biol. 15: R92-R94.
• Glise, B.*, C.A. Miller*, M. Crozatzier, M.A. Halbisen, S. Wise, D. Olson, A. Vincent, and S.S. Blair. 2005. Shifted, the Drosophila orthologue of Wnt Inhibitory Factor-1, controls the distribution and movement of Hedgehog. Dev. Cell 8: 255-266. (*co-first authors)
• Blair, S.S. 2004. Developmental biology: Notching the hindbrain. Curr. Biol. 14: R570-R572.
• Matakatsu, H. and S.S. Blair. 2004. Interactions between Fat and Dachsous and the regulation of planar cell polarity in the Drosophila wing. Development 131: 3785-3794.
• Blair, S.S. 2003. Lineage compartments in Drosophila. Curr. Biol. 13: R548-R551. [PDF]
• Blair, S.S. 2003. Boundary lines. Nature 424: 379-381. [PDF]
• Blair, S.S. 2001. Wnts, signaling and sulfates. Science STKE (online 9/25/01). [PDF]
• Blair, S.S. 2001. Cell lineage: Compartments and Capricious. Curr. Biol. 11: R1017-R1021.
• Conley, C.A., R. Silburn, M.A. Singer, A. Ralston, D. Rohwer-Nutter, D.J. Olson, W. Gelbart, and S.S. Blair. 2000. Crossveinless 2 contains cysteine-rich domains and is required for high levels of BMP-like activity during the formation of the cross veins in Drosophila. Development 127: 3947-3959.
• Blair, S.S. 2000. Notch signaling: Fringe really is a glycosyltransferase (invited dispatch). Cur. Biol. 10: R608-R612.
• Conley, C.A., R. Silburn, M.A. Singer, A. Ralston, D. Rohwer-Nutter, D.J. Olson, W. Gelbart, and S.S. Blair. 2000. Crossveinless 2 contains cysteine-rich domains and is required for high levels of BMP-like activity during the formation of the cross veins in Drosophila. Development 127: 3947-3959. [PDF]
• Micchelli, C.A. and S.S. Blair. 1999. Dorso-ventral lineage restriction in wing imaginal discs requires Notch. Nature 401: 473-476. [PDF]
• Micchelli, C.A., E.J. Rulifson, and S.S. Blair. 1997. The function and regulation of cut expression on the wing margin of Drosophila: Notch, wingless, and a dominant negative role for Delta and Serrate. Development 124: 1485-1495. [PDF]