Investigation of the presence of a developmentally regulated gene controlling neural segmentation in dragonflies

A comprehensive understanding of the genetic mechanisms underlying pattern formation and neurogenesis is necessary in order to trace the evolutionary history of arthropod embryogenesis. One of the most important processes of embryogenesis is the organized pattern formation that allows for proper body segmentation and neural development. Mechanisms controlling this phenomenon have been studied extensively in model organisms Drosophila melanogaster and Schistocerca americana (fruit flies and grasshoppers). However, it has not yet been established whether dragonflies, a more evolutionarily ancient species of arthropod, follow these same mechanisms of pattern formation. Proper segmentation, which relies on a series of specific pattern formations, is necessary for the development of an operational nervous system. Dozens of genes work in synchrony to create a functional ectoderm and nervous system during embryogenesis, but this study focuses on the function and presence of the even-skipped gene in particular, as it serves as a representation of the establishment of regional identity during development. Through a protocol of immunohistochemistry using antibodies raised against the even-skipped protein product (eve), I am able to visualize the expression of eve in both dragonfly larvae and adults and thereby compare its expression throughout development.