The availability of genomic sequencing has identified many human genetic variants that have been linked to infertility. Studies to provide evidence for causation or molecular function can be costly and time consuming. Our lab has collaborated with other research teams to analyse specific genes and genetic variants using the vinegar fly, Drosophila melanogaster.
Drosophila has been a laboratory model organism for over 100 years and is now utilised by hundreds of research groups around the world to study genetic regulation of development and physiology. We have at our disposal a large number of genetic tools to conduct sophisticated experiments relating to gene function and have the capacity to rapidly mutate any of the 15,000 genes in the fly genome.
My research team has focussed on regulation of male reproduction over the last couple of decades and I will show examples of RNA-binding proteins, transcription factors and signalling molecules that we have shown to play roles in regulating male germline stem cell maintenance, differentiation, and subsequent meiotic and post-meiotic functions. I will also outline recent collaborative studies where we have mutated Drosophila orthologs of human genes associated with infertility and shown them to play conserved roles in maintaining gamete production. I will also show how we can generate Drosophila analogues of human genetic variants linked with reproductive phenotypes and thereby analyse gene function in a cost-effective and timely manner.