A GENETIC LOCUS HAVING TRANS AND CONTIGUOUS CIS FUNCTIONS THAT CONTROL THE DISPROPORTIONATE REPLICATION OF RIBOSOMAL RNA GENES IN DROSOPHILA MELANOGASTER

James D. Procunier ¹ and Kenneth D. Tartof ¹

¹ The Institute for Cancer Research, Fox Chase Cancer Center, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19111

The results of deficiency mapping experiments reveal the presence of a compensatory response (cr⁺) locus that is located distal to the cluster of ribosomal RNA (rRNA) genes and is responsible for disproportionately replicating these genes when cr⁺ locus is present in a single dose, as in X/O males or X/sc⁴-sc ⁸ females. The cr⁺ locus is novel in that it exhibits both trans and contiguous cis acting properties in somatic cells. It acts in trans to detect the presence of its partner locus in the opposite homolog, and if that partner locus is absent, it acts in cis to drive the disproportionate replication of those rRNA genes (rDNA) that are contiguous with it. The ability of cr ⁺ to function is independent of the number of ribosomal RNA genes present. Furthermore, it can be shown that the cr⁺ locus is not required for the magnification or reduction of germ line rDNA. Finally, the implications of cr⁺ for position-effect variegation and the apparent reversion of the abnormal oocyte (abo) phenotype are discussed.

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