DEVELOPMENTAL GENETICS OF THE 2E-F REGION OF THE DROSOPHILA X CHROMOSOME: A REGION RICH IN "DEVELOPMENTALLY IMPORTANT" GENES

Norbert Perrimon ¹, Lee Engstrom ¹, and Anthony P. Mahowald ¹

¹ Department of Developmental Genetics and Anatomy, Developmental Biology Center, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio 44106

We have analyzed the 2E1-3A1 area of the X chromosome with special attention to loci related to embryogenesis. Published maps indicate that this chromosomal segment contains ten bands. Our genetic analysis has identified 11 complementation groups: one recessive visible (prune), two female steriles and eight lethals. One of the female sterile loci is fs(1)k10 for which homozygous females produce both egg chambers and embryos with a dorsalized morphology. The second female sterile is the paternally rescuable fs(1)pecanex in which unrescued embryos have a hypertrophic nervous system. Of the eight lethal complementation groups two are recessive embryonic lethals: hemizygous giant (gt) embryos possess segmental defects, and hemizygous crooked neck (crn) embryos exhibit a twisted phenotype. Analysis of these mutations in the female germ line indicates that gt does not show a maternal effect, whereas normal activity of crn is required for germ cell viability. Analysis of the maternal effect in germ line clones of the remaining six recessive lethal complementation groups indicates that four are required for germ cell viability and one produces ambiguous results for survival of the germ cells. The remaining, l(1)pole hole, is a recessive early pupal lethal in which embryos derived from germ line clones and lacking wild-type gene activity exhibit the "torso" or "pole hole" phenotype.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				M. A. Pultz, K. K. Zimmerman, N. M. Alto, M. Kaeberlein, S. K. Lange, J. N. Pitt, N. L. Reeves, and D. L. Zehrung A Genetic Screen for Zygotic Embryonic Lethal Mutations Affecting Cuticular Morphology in the Wasp Nasonia vitripennis Genetics, March 1, 2000; 154(3): 1213 - 1229. [Abstract] [Full Text]

				S. Kidd, T. Lieber, and M. W. Young Ligand-induced cleavage and regulation of nuclear entry of Notch in Drosophila melanogaster embryos Genes & Dev., December 1, 1998; 12(23): 3728 - 3740. [Abstract] [Full Text]

				S Goode, D Wright, and A. Mahowald The neurogenic locus brainiac cooperates with the Drosophila EGF receptor to establish the ovarian follicle and to determine its dorsal-ventral polarity Development, January 9, 1992; 116(1): 177 - 192. [Abstract] [PDF]

				K Zhang, D Smouse, and N Perrimon The crooked neck gene of Drosophila contains a motif found in a family of yeast cell cycle genes. Genes & Dev., June 1, 1991; 5(6): 1080 - 1091. [Abstract] [PDF]

				D Smouse, C Goodman, A Mahowald, and N Perrimon polyhomeotic: a gene required for the embryonic development of axon pathways in the central nervous system of Drosophila. Genes & Dev., July 1, 1988; 2(7): 830 - 842. [Abstract] [PDF]

				B. Yedvobnick, M.A.T. Muskavitch, K.A. Wharton, M.E. Halpern, E. Paul, B.G. Grimwade, and S. Artavanis-Tsakonas Molecular Genetics of Drosophila Neurogenesis Cold Spring Harb Symp Quant Biol, January 1, 1985; 50(0): 841 - 854. [Abstract] [PDF]