Signalling downstream of guidance receptors in border cell migration.

Border cells (BC) are a cluster of 6-10 specialized cells present

in Drosophila egg chamber. At stage 9 of oogenesis migrate

towards the oocyte in a stereotypic way. Studies in the lab have

identified two receptor tyrosine kinases (RTKs) that guide BC; the

epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) and the PDGF/VEGF

receptor (PVR). RTK signalling involves receptor dimerization,

phosphorilation of Tyr and docking of proteins. We aim to

determine which pathways downstream of EGFR and PVR trans-

late guidance information into directed BC movement by 1)

identifying in the receptors the residues relevant for signal

transduction used in BC guidance, 2) defining the set of molecules

that are able to bind to the activated receptors via the residues

identified above and 3) determining whether those proteins are

required for BC guidance in vivo...