Polyglutamine Atrophin provokes neurodegeneration in Drosophila

Neurodegeneration progression caused by poly glutamine expansions of the Atro gene is measured by mRNA expression profiles in 4 D.melanogaster genotypes: in wild-type animals (controls), animals constitutively expressing the wild-type Atro transgene, animals constitutively expressing the polyQ expanded Atro transgenes A66QC and A75QN. The expressions of the Atro genes are under a GMR-Gal4 driver repressed by a Gal80 universal repressor sensitive to temperature. When flies are raised at 18 C, the transgenes are not expressed, but their expression is switched on when they are shifted to the ageing protocol at 29 C at time point day 0. The neurodegeneration is assessed after 2 and 14 days post-high-temperature shift.