Histones are associated with gene regulation across species. Variations of the major histones potentially change this regulation as well as the structure of chromatin. In particular, it is thought that the histone variant H2A.Z may be implicated in development by causing changes in normal gene regulation. This study explores the relationship between Drosophila melanogaster egg development and the appearance of histone variant H2A.Z in the developing egg chambers within stages 1-13. Female wild type fruit flies were dissected and egg chambers in various stages were extracted from the ovaries. The egg chambers were washed with antibodies for H2A.Z and a fluorescent marker to indicate the location of H2A.Z in the egg chambers during any stage of growth. Although fluorescence was present in the final egg chamber slides, there was no indication of obvious localization within the chambers to decisively show H2A.Z presence. There was a difference in fluorescence between egg chambers washed with both 1o and 2o antibodies and egg chambers washed with only 2o antibodies, showing that egg chambers washed with both antibodies fluoresced more. This gives a small indication that perhaps H2A.Z could be present throughout various stages of egg development. However, these results are still inconclusive as to when H2A.Z first begins to appear in egg chambers. Literature suggests that any appearance would be after stage 10. More trials must be completed to determine if H2A.Z plays a role in development.
