High impact information on Mvl

• Activity of the reporter enzyme beta-galactosidase, that reflects the expression pattern of mvl, is seen in mature sensory neurons and in macrophages [1].
• We report the sequence, expression pattern and mutant phenotype of malvolio (mvl), the Drosophila homologue of mammalian natural resistance-associated macrophage proteins (NRAMPs) [1].
• The localisation of Malvolio protein was inferred from the enhancer trap line initially used to isolate Malvolio in a screen for mutants with defects in taste perception [2].
• Immunolocalisation of the D. melanogaster Nramp homologue Malvolio to gut and Malpighian tubules provides evidence that Malvolio and Nramp2 are orthologous [2].
• In Drosophila melanogaster, the protein Mvl is expressed in macrophages and in differentiated neurons; loss-of-function mutations lead to defects in gustatory behaviour [3].

Biological context of Mvl

• This finding that Nramp-1 can complement the taste defect in mvl mutants provides a potent means of exploiting behavioural genetics to dissect the function of Nramp-1 and to identify other molecules involved with this transport system [3].

Anatomical context of Mvl

• We show that loss-of-function as well as insertional mutants in mvl display defects in taste behaviour with no alterations in the physiology of the sensory neurons [1].

Associations of Mvl with chemical compounds

• Similar suppression of the abnormal taste behavior was observed when mvl mutants were fed MnCl2 or FeCl2 only at the adult stage [4].

References