Figure 2. cdk7^S164A,T170A suppresses DIAP1-anatagonist-induced cell death.

(a) Summary of the apoptosis pathway in Drosophila. The DIAP1 antagonists, reaper, hid and grim are induced by diverse apoptotic stimuli, such as in response to the overexpression of mutant Rh-1^G69D or p53. These genes were overexpressed during eye development using either the eye-specific GMR promoter (b–m), or the wing-specific vg-Gal4 line (n, o), either in backgrounds of cdk7+(b–g, n), or in a cdk7^S164A,T170A (h–m, o). As a control, the cell cycle inhibitor p21 was overexpressed through the GMR promoter (g, m). (p–t) Gamma-ray-induced caspase activation is suppressed in a cdk7^S164A,T170A background. Larval eye imaginal discs were labeled with anti-cleaved caspase antibody (white) to assess cell death. Shown are non-irradiated discs (p, r), gamma-ray irradiated wild type discs (q), and gamma-ray irradiated cdk7^S164A,T170A discs (s). Quantification of caspase activation is shown in (t).