Technical abbreviations
A ampere
AVE average
BCA bicinchoninic acid
bp base pair
BSA bovine serum albumin CT threshold cycle
DAPI 4’, 6-diamidino-2-phenylindole
DGRC Drosophila Genomics Resource Center DSHB Developmental Studies Hybridoma Bank ECL enhanced chemiluminescence
EDTA ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid FISH fluorescence in situ hybridization NGS normal goat serum
nt nucleotide
PBS phosphate buffered saline PBT PBS-Tween (buffer) PBTB PBT-blocking (buffer) PCR polymerase chain reaction PFA paraformaldehyde
qPCR quantitative PCR
qRT-PCR quantitative reverse transcription PCR Rpm revolutions per minute
RT reverse transcriptase RT room temperature S2 cells Schneider 2 cells SD standard deviation
SEM standard error of the mean Tris tris-hydroxymethyl-aminomethane
Biological abbreviations
AMPK AMP-activated protein kinase A-P axis anterior-posterior axis
BTB blood-testis barrier C-terminus carboxyl-terminus cDNA complementary DNA DNAse deoxyribonuclease CySCs somatic stem cells
DGC Dystrophin-associated Glycoprotein Complex Dme Drosophila Melanogaster
DNA deoxyribonucleic acid Dre Danio rerio
Drosophila Drosophila melanogaster
dsRBD double stranded RNA binding domain protein E.Coli Escherichia coli
ECM extracellular matrix GB gonial blast
GO Gene Ontology GSCs germline stem cells hsa homo sapiens
mGFP membrane GFP
miRNA microRNA
mmu mus musculus mRNA messenger RNA MTJ myotendinos junction
PKA cAMP-dependent protein kinase
Pol polymerase
Pre-miRNA precursor microRNA Pri-miRNA primary microRNA RNA ribonucleic acid
RISC RNA-induced silencing complex RNAi RNA interference
RNase ribonuclease
rRNA ribosomal RNA siRNA small interfering RNA SV seminal vesicle
UAS upstream activation sequence UTR untranslated region
Gene and protein names
act actin
Add adducin Arm armadillo Cora coracle Chic chickadee
Dg dystroglycan
Dlg discs large Dys dystrophin Eya eyes absent
GluR glutamate receptor IIA Hts hu lo tai shao
How held out wings LanA/B laminin A Mega mega trachea Mei-P26 meiotic P26
MHC myosin heavy chain
mir-310s refers to miR-310, miR-311, miR-312, and miR-313 together miR-975C refers to miR-975, miR-976, miR-977 together
miR-959C refers to miR-959, miR-960, miR-961, miR-962together Nrx-IV neurexin IV
nNOS nitric oxide synthase PH3 Phospho-Histone H3 Scg sarcoglycan
Syn1 syntrophin-like 1
Tj traffic jam
Yki yorkie
Zfh-1 zinc finger protein 1
Symbols
°C degree celsius
CO2 carbon dioxide
G gram
μg microgram
μl microliter
μM micromolar
h hour
kbp kilo base pair
kDa kilodalton
Mb mega base
ml milliliter
min minute
mM milli molar
NaCl sodium chloride
NaH2PO4 monosodium phosphate Na2HPO4 disodium phophate
NaOH sodium hydroxide
ng nanogram
V volt
Acknowledgement
Foremost, I would like to thank my supervisor Halyna R. Shcherbata for giving me an opportunity to peruse my PhD under her supervision. Her continuous guidance, suggestions, and challenges has shaped me to be a better student in these 3.5 years. I not only got to realize what it takes to be a good scientist, but also a successful PI and a great human being.
Some of the life lessons I took watching her closely will aspire me to be better in many ways in the years to come.
Next, I would like to thank my thesis committee members Stefan Bonn and Jörg Großhans for their suggestions, ideas, criticism and support for making this project a success. I would like to especially thank Stefan Bonn for always supporting my project and being available whenever I needed his suggestions. I would like to thank Roland Dosch, Martin Göpfert and Ahmed Mansouri for joining as my extended committee members.
My sincere gratitude to my current and previous lab mates who gave me their valuable scientific input, technical support, and especially for their company, creating a family like environment. Travis, for always motivating and helping me in every possible way to make me focus and laugh even at times of doubts and confusions. For more being a friend than just a colleague. You kept me optimistic during my times of discouragement and made weekends work a happy place to be. Ömer, for sharing his experiences as a graduating PhD student and answering all my concerns during the initial phase of my project. Mariya, for teaching me tools and techniques of the lab during my time as an intern and making me familiar with the department. Andriy, for all the help and support during the entire project.
Rucha, for helping me during the final phase of my project. Jasmine, for creating Dg1.10G mutants that came handy on this project. To the whole Herbert Jäckle Department for their input during departmental seminars, support through reagents and technical contributions.
My students, Tadas, Liezel, Daniel, and Alejandra who helped me in my project. I got an opportunity to grow as a mentor and learned a lot from them.
GGNB for giving an opportunity to learn many aspects of science. I have benefited a lot from scientific and soft skill courses throughout these years. I have enjoyed being their student representative, editorial board in GGNB times and as a part of organizing committee for WoCaNet symposium. I have come to realize many of my strengths and weakness throughout the exposures I got with these activities. I would like to acknowledge the travel grant that allowed me to present my work in international symposium.
To my friends in Göttingen, for adding healthy dosage of laughter and craziness throughout these years. Prajwal, for always listening, making tea breaks more compelling, sharing enthusiasm and frustrations and adding positivity in everyday life. Shoba, for exciting conversations about science, career and for crazy moments turning Göttingen a familiar place to be.
To my near and dear friend, Elizabeth, for making my adaptation easier since my first day in Germany. Our long conversations, life experiences always lit positivity in me. Manita, for listening to my worries and fruitful tips and a continuous reminder to taking care of myself.
My childhood buddies (RSKDM), for teaching me a meaning of friendship for past 18 years.
Losing one of you during these years was a shock and a realization of life beyond dreams and career.
To my family, my parents for believing in me, for always being enthusiastic to see me becoming a Doctor despite of not knowing either my project or the nature of my research.
My sisters, who are my backbone. They believed so much in me that they never let me fail.
Especially Priti, for taking care of our parents and home all these years. Kriti, for always encouraging me to stay on my track. My in-laws, for always motivating me to give my best.
I think I stressed them more than I stressed myself during the last phase of my project. To Bhupesh and Semi for their support and accepting my absence during family engagements.
To my husband Bhawesh, my life support, for his continuous support, love and for keeping up with me throughout these years. For taking care of our home, my smallest needs, for not giving up on me and not letting me give up. You truly deserve a share of my Doctor title.