THE UNDERLYING BASES OF GENE EXPRESSION DIFFERENCES IN STABLE TRANSFORMANTS OF THE ROSY LOCUS IN DROSOPHILA MELANOGASTER

Stephen B. Daniels ¹, Margaret McCarron ¹, Carol Love ¹, Stephen H. Clark ¹, and Arthur Chovnick ¹

¹ Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, The University of Connecticut, Storrs, Connecticut 06268

This report represents a continuation of our laboratory's effort to understand the major phenomena associated with P-M dysgenesis-mediated transformation in Drosophila. A group of stable transformants are characterized with respect to rosy gene expression. Stable, true-breeding, line-specific variants in gene expression are described. These are shown to be associated with single transposons present in each line, and the lines are free of functional P elements. The effects on expression are cis-acting, and there are no identifiable rosy DNA sequence lesions associated with these transposons. Evidence is presented that demonstrates that two features of the transformation experimental system are responsible for such variation. The first relates to the fact that the transposons insert at numerous genomic sites. Both heterochromatic and euchromatic position effects are characterized. The second relates to the fact that transformation involves dysgenic mobilization of a P-element transposon. This process is mutagenic, and such a mutation is characterized.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				L L Wallrath and S C Elgin Position effect variegation in Drosophila is associated with an altered chromatin structure. Genes & Dev., May 15, 1995; 9(10): 1263 - 1277. [Abstract] [PDF]

				E M Jorgensen and R L Garber Function and misfunction of the two promoters of the Drosophila Antennapedia gene. Genes & Dev., August 1, 1987; 1(6): 544 - 555. [Abstract] [PDF]