The Bithorax Complex of Drosophila melanogaster: Underreplication and morphology in polytene chromosomes

Abstract Data of insertion site localization and site occupancy frequency of P, hobo, I, copia, mdg1, mdg3, 412, 297, and roo transposable elements (TEs) on the polytene chromosomes of Drosophila melanogaster were extracted from the literature. We show that TE insertion site number per chromosomal division was significantly correlated with the amount of DNA. The insertion site number weighted by DNA content was not correlated with recombination rate for all TEs except hobo, for which a positive correlation was detected. No global tendency emerged in the relationship between TE site occupancy frequency, weighted by DNA content, and recombination rate; a strong negative correlation was, however, found for the 3L arm. A possible dominant deleterious effect of chromosomal rearrangements due to recombination between TE insertions is thus not the main factor explaining the dynamics of TEs, since this hypothesis implies a negative relationship between recombination rate and both TE insertion site number and site occupancy frequency. The alternative hypothesis of selection against deleterious effects of insertional mutations is discussed.

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Microdissection and cloning of DNA from a specific region of Drosophila melanogaster polytene chromosomes

Chromosoma ◽

10.1007/bf00286105 ◽

1981 ◽

Vol 82 (2) ◽

pp. 205-216 ◽

Cited By ~ 214

Author(s):

F. Scalenghe ◽

E. Turco ◽

J. E. Edström ◽

V. Pirrotta ◽

M. Melli

Keyword(s):

Drosophila Melanogaster ◽

Polytene Chromosomes ◽

Specific Region

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The origin of pattern duplications in segment polarity mutants of Drosophila melanogaster

Development ◽

10.1242/dev.87.1.129 ◽

1985 ◽

Vol 87 (1) ◽

pp. 129-135

Author(s):

Alfonso Martinez-Arias ◽

Philip W. Ingham

Keyword(s):

Drosophila Melanogaster ◽

Bithorax Complex ◽

Anterior Compartment ◽

Larval Cuticle ◽

Segment Polarity ◽

Reversed Polarity ◽

Segmental Identity

Mutations of the segment polarity group in Drosophila melanogaster produce additional denticles with reversed polarity in every segment of the larval cuticle. We have investigated the effect of mutations in different elements of the bithorax complex on the segmental identity of these additional pattern elements. Our results suggest that they are derived, primarily, from the anterior compartment of each segment.

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A cDNA from Drosophila melanogaster encodes a lamin C-like intermediate filament protein

Journal of Cell Science ◽

10.1242/jcs.104.4.1263 ◽

1993 ◽

Vol 104 (4) ◽

pp. 1263-1272 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

C.A. Bossie ◽

M.M. Sanders

Keyword(s):

Drosophila Melanogaster ◽

Intermediate Filament ◽

Blot Analysis ◽

Polytene Chromosomes ◽

Intermediate Filament Protein ◽

Chromosome 2 ◽

Cross Hybridization ◽

Intermediate Filament Proteins ◽

Nuclear Lamins ◽

Filament Protein

A novel intermediate filament cDNA, pG-IF, has been isolated from a Drosophila melanogaster embryonic expression library screened with a polyclonal antiserum produced against a 46 kDa cytoskeletal protein isolated from Kc cells. This 46 kDa protein is known to be immunologically related to vertebrate intermediate filament proteins. The screen resulted in the isolation of four different cDNA groups. Of these, one has been identified as the previously characterized Drosophila nuclear lamin cDNA, Dm0, and a second, pG-IF, demonstrates homology to Dm0 by cross hybridization on Southern blots. DNA sequence analysis reveals that pG-IF encodes a newly identified intermediate filament protein in Drosophila. Its nucleotide sequence is highly homologous to nuclear lamins with lower homology to cytoplasmic intermediate filament proteins. pG-IF predicts a protein of 621 amino acids with a predicted molecular mass of 69,855 daltons. In vitro transcription and translation of pG-IF yielded a protein with a SDS-PAGE estimated molecular weight of approximately 70 kDa. It contains sequence principles characteristic of class V intermediate filament proteins. Its near neutral pI (6.83) and the lack of a terminal CaaX motif suggests that it may represent a lamin C subtype in Drosophila. In situ hybridization to polytene chromosomes detects one band of hybridization on the right arm of chromosome 2 at or near 51A. This in conjunction with Southern blot analysis of various genomic digests suggests one or more closely placed genes while Northern blot analysis detects two messages in Kc cells.

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The pattern of campaniform sensilla on the wing and haltere of Drosophila melanogaster and several of its homeotic mutants

Development ◽

10.1242/dev.71.1.41 ◽

1982 ◽

Vol 71 (1) ◽

pp. 41-61

Author(s):

Eric S. Cole ◽

John Palka

Keyword(s):

Drosophila Melanogaster ◽

Campaniform Sensilla ◽

Bithorax Complex ◽

Homeotic Transformation ◽

Anterior Compartment

A detailed mapping and description of campaniform sensilla on the wing and haltere of Drosophila melanogaster is provided. Six types of sensilla are distinguished. Similarities in the pattern of their distribution on the dorsal and ventral surfaces of each appendage, as well as between the wing and haltere, are apparent. These data are used to assess the quality of homeotic transformation in several mutants of the bithorax complex in which the halteres are transformed into wings. Flies homozygous for abxbx3pbx produce a complete inventory of wing sensilla on the homeotic appendage. In abx, bx3 and bx3pbx homozygotes the transformation of haltere into wing is incomplete, and each mutant shows characteristic fields of haltere and wing sensilla. It appears that specific regions of the anterior haltere compartment require different combinations of mutant alleles to produce a distinct homeotic transformation. Furthermore, the pbx mutation appears to influence expression of the bx3 mutation within the anterior compartment.

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Molecular Genetics of the Bithorax Complex in Drosophila melanogaster

Science ◽

10.1126/science.221.4605.23 ◽

1983 ◽

Vol 221 (4605) ◽

pp. 23-29 ◽

Cited By ~ 299

Author(s):

W. Bender ◽

M. Akam ◽

F. Karch ◽

P. A. Beachy ◽

M. Peifer ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Drosophila Melanogaster ◽

Molecular Genetics ◽

Bithorax Complex

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Association of a protease with polytene chromosomes of Drosophila melanogaster.

The Journal of Cell Biology ◽

10.1083/jcb.87.2.415 ◽

1980 ◽

Vol 87 (2) ◽

pp. 415-419 ◽

Cited By ~ 5

Author(s):

J Cavagnaro ◽

D A Pierce ◽

J C Lucchesi ◽

C B Chae

Keyword(s):

Acetic Acid ◽

Drosophila Melanogaster ◽

Heat Shock ◽

Protease Inhibitors ◽

Polytene Chromosomes ◽

Fixation Procedure ◽

Apparent Effect ◽

Chloromethyl Ketone ◽

Diisopropyl Fluorophosphate ◽

Uniform Labeling

Incubation of Drosophila salivary glands with radioactive diisopropyl fluorophosphate results in the uniform labeling of polytene chromosomes. Extensive labeling is seen only when chromosome squashes are prepared by a formaldehyde fixation procedure and not by standard acetic acid techniques. The labeling is inhibited in the presence of tosylphenylalanine chloromethyl ketone and phenylmethane sulfonylfluoride but not by tosyllysine chloromethyl ketone, suggesting that a chymotrypsin-like serine protease is associated with the chromosomes. Protease inhibitors show no apparent effect on heat-shock specific puffing.

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