Abstract:

Recent reports on programmed cell death (PCD)(or apoptosis) in Drosophila reveal that during metamorphosis, binding of ecdysone to the complex of ecdysone receptor and ultraspiracle results in expression of the transcription factors that are primarily and secondarily responsive to PCD signals in the regulatory networks. These transcription factors activate the expression of inducers (Reaper, Hid, and Grim) of apoptosis and the activated inducers suppress activity of inhibitors of apoptosis proteins, resulting in onset of the caspase-dependent apoptosis. The genetic regulators that are involved in the ecdysone-induced programmed cell death in Drosophila and their relationship between each other were reviewed in this article.

Key words: Drosophila, molting hormone, ecdysone, programmed cell death, apoptosis, genetic regulator