Studies of apoptosis in C. elegans have allowed the identification of three
genes, ced-3, ced-4 and ced-9. Their products constitute the components of
an induction pathway of apoptosis conserved in the nematode and mammals. I
n Drosophila, homologues have been found for CED-3, CED-4 and CED-9. CED-9
belongs to the Bcl-2 family which includes negative (Bcl-2) and positive (B
ax) regulators of apoptosis, The recently discovered Bcl-2 family member na
med Drob-1 acts as a positive regulator of cell death. To address whether a
Bcl-2 anti apoptotic pathway exists in the fly, we studied the effects of
expressing the mammalian genes bcl-2 in Drosophila, In embryos, expression
of bcl-2 inhibits developmental and X-ray-induced apoptosis. Expressing bcl
-2 or the pro-apoptotic mammalian bar in the developing eye and wing alters
these structures, bcl-2 increasing the number of cells, while bar reduces
the number of cells. In addition, the functional interaction between Bcl-2
and Bax is conserved. These results indicate that factors necessary for the
activity of bcl-2 and bar are present in Drosophila, Therefore, a Bcl-2 pa
thway for inhibition of cell death may exist in the fly.