ABSTRACT
The Drosophila piwi gene has multiple functions in soma and germ cells. An in vitro system provides a powerful tool for elucidating PIWI function in each cell type using stable cell lines originating from germline stem cells (GSCs) and ovarian soma of adult ovaries. We have described methods for the maintenance and expansion of GSCs in an established cell line (fGS/OSS) and an in situ hybridization method for analyzing piwi.
Subject(s)
Argonaute Proteins/genetics , Cell Culture Techniques/methods , Drosophila Proteins/genetics , Drosophila melanogaster/cytology , Drosophila melanogaster/genetics , Germ Cells/cytology , RNA Interference , Stem Cells/cytology , Stem Cells/metabolism , Animals , Argonaute Proteins/deficiency , Culture Media , Drosophila Proteins/deficiency , In Situ Hybridization , MaleABSTRACT
An in vitro study is a powerful method for elucidating gene functions in cellular and developmental events. However, until date, no reliable in vitro transformation, cloning, or knockdown system has been reported for Drosophila cells, with the exception of S2 and Kc cells. In this study, we demonstrated that the piggyBac vector stably integrates donor DNA into ovarian somatic sheets derived from follicle stem cells. The transformed ovarian somatic sheet cells were easily cloned with a new piggyBac selection vector carrying enhanced green fluorescent protein and dihydrofolate reductase genes, egfp, and dhfr, respectively, in culture media containing methotrexate, an inhibitor of DNA synthesis. Donor egfp continued to be expressed at a high level in long-term culture. Furthermore, the translation of donor egfp was inhibited by treatment with double-stranded RNA derived from the target gene. The transfection and cloning methods mediated by the piggyBac vector would thus be useful for future analyses of gene functions in OSS cells and possibly be applicable to other Drosophila cell lines.
