Mutant Analysis of Leukocyte Antigen Related-like (LAR) in Drosophila hematopoiesis

Abstract

LAR or Leukocyte Antigen Related Like is a trans-membrane receptor protein tyrosine phosphatase with multiple domains. It is widely known for its involvement in motor axon guidance but it’s role in haematopoiesis is not been investigated yet. A genome-wide RNAi screening targetted to the niche was conducted to discover potential players of maintenence and functionality of niche. Dlar has emerged as a key player whose phenotype has given us the potential phenotype to unravel the physiological role of LAR in the hematopoiesis. We have used lymph gland- the larval hematopoietic organ of Drosophila melanogaster as a model system. In this study I tried to find out a classical loss of function mutant for LAR so that its role in hematopoiesis can be established with certainty.