Genetics, Vol 127, 525-533, Copyright © 1991

INVESTIGATIONS

Requirement for Cell-Proliferation Control Genes in Drosophila Oogenesis

J. Szabad, V. A. Jursnich and P. J. Bryant
Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Department of Biology, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah 84112 and Institute of Genetics, Biological Research Center, H-6701 Szegred, P.O. Box 521, Hungary Present address: Department of Genetics, University of California, Davis, California 95616.

Genes that are required for cell proliferation control in Drosophila imaginal discs were tested for function in the female germ-line and follicle cells. Chimeras and mosaics were produced in which developing oocytes and nurse cells were mutant at one of five imaginal disc overgrowth loci (fat, lgd, lgl, c43 and dco) while the enveloping follicle cells were normal. The chimeras were produced by transplantation of pole cells and the mosaics were produced by X-ray-induced mitotic recombination using the dominant female-sterile technique. The results show that each of the genes tested plays an essential role in the development or function of the female germ line. The fat, lgl and c43 homozygous germ-line clones fail to produce eggs, indicating a germ-line requirement for the corresponding genes. Perdurance of the fat(+) gene product in mitotic recombination clones allows the formation of a few infertile eggs from fat homozygous germ-line cells. The lgd homozygous germ-line clones give rise to a few eggs with abnormal chorionic appendages, a defect thought to result from defective cell communication between the mutant germ-line and the nonmutant follicle cells. One allele of dco (dco(le88)) prevents egg development when homozygous in the germ line, whereas the dco(18) allele has no effect on germ-line development. Fs(2)Ugra, a recently described follicle cell-dependent dominant female-sterile mutation, allowed the analysis of egg primordia in which fat, lgd or lgl homozygous mutant follicle cells surrounded normal oocytes. The results show that the fat and lgd genes are not required for follicle cell functions, while absence of lgl function in follicles prevents egg development. Whereas the products of these genes are necessary for the cell interactions that control cell proliferation in imaginal discs, they may be needed for cell interactions that control other aspects of development in the ovary.

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