Effects of chromosomal rearrangements on the zeste-white interaction in Drosophila melanogaster

Journal Article · Mon Jun 01 04:00:00 EDT 1987 · Genetics; (United States)

OSTI ID:6063685

Smolik-Utlaut, S M; Gelbart, W M

Three gene systems have been shown to exhibit proximity-dependent phenotypes in Drosophila melanogaster; bithorax (BX-C), decapentaplegic (DPP-C) and white (w). In structurally homozygous genotypes, specific allelic combinations at these loci exhibit one phenotype, while in certain rearrangement heterozygotes the same allelic combinations exhibit dramatically different phenotypes. The genetic properties of the proximity-dependent allelic complementation (termed transvection effects) at the BX-C and DPP-C, are quite similar. As determined by cytogenetic analysis of transvection-disrupting rearrangements, the critical regions for the BX-C and DDP-C transvection effects extend proximally from these loci for several hundred polytene chromosome bands. The interaction between the zeste and white loci appears to depend upon the proximity of the two w/sup +/ alleles. By use of insertional duplications, displacement of w/sup +/ homologues has been shown to interfere with the zeste-white interaction. In this report, the authors investigate the basis for the difference in the size of the BX-C and DPP-C critical regions from that of white using a /sup 137/Cs-mutagenesis procedure. The authors test and eliminate the possibility that the difference is due to evidence strongly suggests that the zeste-white interaction is, at the phenotypic level, much less sensitive to displacement of the homologous genes than is transvection at either the BX-C or DPP-C. Given these results, they suggest that the zeste-white interaction and transvection are two different proximity-dependent phenomena.

• Research Organization: Harvard Univ., Cambridge, MA
• OSTI ID: 6063685
• Journal Information: Genetics; (United States), Journal Name: Genetics; (United States) Vol. 116:2; ISSN GENTA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

560152* -- Radiation Effects on Animals-- Animals
63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
ALKALI METAL ISOTOPES
ANIMALS
ARTHROPODS
BETA DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
BETA-MINUS DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
BIOLOGICAL EFFECTS
BIOLOGICAL RADIATION EFFECTS
CESIUM 137
CESIUM ISOTOPES
CHROMOSOMAL ABERRATIONS
DIPTERA
DROSOPHILA
ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION
FLIES
FRUIT FLIES
GAMMA RADIATION
GENETIC EFFECTS
GENETIC RADIATION EFFECTS
INSECTS
INVERTEBRATES
IONIZING RADIATIONS
ISOTOPES
MUTAGENESIS
MUTATIONS
NUCLEI
ODD-EVEN NUCLEI
PHENOTYPE
RADIATION EFFECTS
RADIATIONS
RADIOINDUCTION
RADIOISOTOPES
YEARS LIVING RADIOISOTOPES