What I Did
My partners and I first became interested in the differential expression of the ScpX gene in the anterior and posterior region of the Drosophila midgut. After searching we found that the ScpX gene in humans (SCP2) along with 5 other genes play a significant role in causing peroxisomal disorders that can contribute to Zellweger Spectrum Disorder. The differential expression we found of the orthologous genes led us to infer that the Drosophila Melanogaster could be a key model system to further study Zellweger Spectrum Disorder.
How You Can Help
The most prominent gap of knowledge that the data can’t reveal is how nutrient absorption in the posterior end of the Drosophila might relate to nutrient absorption of the human small intestine. This key piece of information could provide insights about the potential lack of nutrient absorption in the small intestine of human with Zellweger Spectrum Disorder. To me, the most exciting part about doing research like this is thinking about the potential cures we can develop using discoveries made in research.
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