Functional unknomics: Systematic screening of conserved genes of unknown function.

The human genome encodes approximately 20,000 proteins, many still uncharacterised. It has become clear that scientific research tends to focus on well-studied proteins, leading to a concern that poorly understood genes are unjustifiably neglected. To address this, we have developed a publicly available and customisable "Unknome database" that ranks proteins based on how little is known about them.

Spotting the differences: probing host/microbiota interactions with a dedicated software tool for the analysis of faecal outputs in Drosophila.

The intestinal physiology of Drosophila melanogaster can be monitored in an integrative, non-invasive manner by analysing graphical features of the excreta produced by flies fed on a dye-supplemented diet. This assay has been used by various labs to explore gut function and its regulation. To facilitate its use, we present here a free, stand-alone dedicated software tool for the analysis of fly excreta.

COPI vesicle transport is a common requirement for tube expansion in Drosophila.

Background: Tube expansion defects like stenoses and atresias cause devastating human diseases. Luminal expansion during organogenesis begins to be elucidated in several systems but we still lack a mechanistic view of the process in many organs. The Drosophila tracheal respiratory system provides an amenable model to study tube size regulation.

Sequential pulses of apical epithelial secretion and endocytosis drive airway maturation in Drosophila.

The development of air-filled respiratory organs is crucial for survival at birth. We used a combination of live imaging and genetic analysis to dissect respiratory organ maturation in the embryonic Drosophila trachea. We found that tracheal tube maturation entails three precise epithelial transitions.

Septate-junction-dependent luminal deposition of chitin deacetylases restricts tube elongation in the Drosophila trachea.

The function of tubular epithelial organs like the kidney and lung is critically dependent on the length and diameter of their constituting branches. Genetic analysis of tube size control during Drosophila tracheal development has revealed that epithelial septate junction (SJ) components and the dynamic chitinous luminal matrix coordinate tube growth. However, the underlying molecular mechanisms controlling tube expansion so far remained elusive.