THE REGULATED EXPRESSION OF AN INTRABODY PRODUCES A MUTANT PHENOTYPE IN DROSOPHILA

Intrabodies show great promise for controlling gene expression. As an initial attempt to evaluate the intrabody technology in Drosophila, th e gene poxn was used as target. Transgenic flies harboring different a nti-Poxn scFv genes integrated into various chromosomes were obtained. In one transformant, a phenocopy resembling the hypomorphic poxn(-) p henotype was produced in embryos and larvae following induction of exp ression of alpha-Poxn2 intrabody. The antisense approach was used as c ontrol. Parameters that can affect the success of intrabody technology are described. (C) 1998 Federation of European Biochemical Societies.