High impact information on Prat2

• We conclude that Prat2 is required during the prepupal stage while Prat is more important for the pupal stage [1].
• The purine synthesis gene Prat2 is required for Drosophila metamorphosis, as revealed by inverted-repeat-mediated RNA interference [1].
• The absence of introns in both DmelPrat and DvirPrat genes suggests that Prat originated from a retrotransposition of Prat2 and that the gene duplication has been preserved in the two species since their divergence approximately 40 million years ago [2].

Biological context of Prat2

• However, Prat2 RNAi-induced arrested pupae have a head eversion defect reminiscent of the "cryptocephal" phenotype, whereas Prat RNAi-induced arrested pupae die later as pharate adults [1].
• The first committed step in the purine de novo synthesis pathway is performed by amidophosphoribosyltransferase (EC 2.4.2.14) or Prat. Drosophila melanogaster Prat is an essential gene with a promoter that lacks a TATA-box and initiator element and has multiple transcription start sites with a predominant start site [3].

References