One of the techniques to show that nurse cells can transfer the maternal effect genes (gene B) to the oocyte. Introduction: Maternal effect genes are those genes from the mother's genome whose RNA (ribonucleic acid) and protein are accumulated in the zygote even before the expression of zygotic genes. The expression of this gene is not at all affected by the zygote. Northern and western blotting techniques are used to detect the specific RNA and protein fragments that are separated via the gel electrophoresis.

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Chapter 5, Problem 3EQ

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One of the techniques to show that nurse cells can transfer the maternal effect genes (gene B) to the oocyte.

Introduction:

Maternal effect genes are those genes from the mother's genome whose RNA (ribonucleic acid) and protein are accumulated in the zygote even before the expression of zygotic genes. The expression of this gene is not at all affected by the zygote. Northern and western blotting techniques are used to detect the specific RNA and protein fragments that are separated via the gel electrophoresis.

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Chapter 21 describes two blotting methods (i.e., Northern blotting and Western blotting) used to detect gene products. Northern blotting detects RNA and Western blotting detects proteins. Suppose that a female fruit fly is heterozygous for a maternal effect gene, which we will call gene B. The female is Bb. The normal allele, B, encodes a functional mRNA that is 550 nucleotides long. A recessive allele, b, encodes a shorter mRNA that is 375 nucleotides long. (Allele b is due to a deletion within this gene.) How could you use one or more of these techniques to show that nurse cells transfer gene products from gene B to developing oocytes? You may assume that you can dissect the ovaries of fruit flies and isolate oocytes separately from nurse cells. In your answer, describe your expected results.

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