SPONTANEOUS AND ETHYL METHANESULFONATE-INDUCED MUTATIONS CONTROLLING VIABILITY IN DROSOPHILA MELANOGASTER. I. RECESSIVE LETHAL MUTATIONS

ABSTRACT The efficiency of the adult feeding method for EMS treatment in Drosophila melanogaster was studied by measuring the frequency of induced recessive lethals on the second chromosome. The treatment was most effective when mature spermatozoa or spermatids were treated and was much less effective on earlier stages. The number of mutations induced was proportional to the concentration except at the highest doses. The recessive lethal rate was estimated to be about 0.012 per second chromosome per 10-4m. In addition, about 0.004-0.005 recessive lethals per 10-4 m were found in a later generation in chromosomes that had not shown the lethal effect in the previous generation. When the experiments are done in a consistent manner and gametes treated as mature sperm or spermatids are sampled, the results are highly reproducible. However, modifications of the procedure, such as starvation before EMS treatment, can considerably alter the effectiveness of the mutagen.

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Cytogenetic and complementation analyses of recessive lethal mutations induced in the X chromosome of Drosophila by three alkylating agents

Genetics Research ◽

10.1017/s0016672300015020 ◽

1974 ◽

Vol 24 (1) ◽

pp. 1-10 ◽

Cited By ~ 32

Author(s):

J. K. Lim ◽

L. A. Snyder

Keyword(s):

Drosophila Melanogaster ◽

Salivary Gland ◽

X Chromosome ◽

Alkylating Agents ◽

Complementation Analysis ◽

Ethyl Methanesulphonate ◽

Induced Mutations ◽

Recessive Lethal ◽

Lethal Mutations

SUMMARYSalivary-gland chromosomes of 54 methyl methanesulphonate- and 50 triethylene melamine-induced X-chromosome recessive lethals in Drosophila melanogaster were analysed. Two of the lethals induced by the mono-functional agent and 11 of those induced by the polyfunctional agent were found to be associated with detectable aberrations. A complementation analysis was also done on 82 ethyl methanesulphonate- and 34 triethylene melamine-induced recessive lethals in the zeste-white region of the X chromosome. The EMS-induced lethals were found to represent lesions affecting only single cistrons. Each of the 14 cistrons in the region known to mutate to a lethal state was represented by mutant alleles, but in widely different frequencies. Seven of the TEM-induced lethals were associated with deletions, only one of which had both breakpoints within the mapped region. Twenty-six of the 27 mutations in which only single cistrons were affected were mapped to 7 of the 14 known loci. One TEM- and two EMS-induced mutations were alleles representing a previously undetected locus in the zeste-white region.

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THE INTERCELLULAR DISTRIBUTION OF MUTATIONS INDUCED IN OOCYTES OF DROSOPHILA MELANOGASTER BY CHEMICAL AND PHYSICAL MUTAGENS

Genetics ◽

10.1093/genetics/92.1.151 ◽

1979 ◽

Vol 92 (1) ◽

pp. 151-160

Author(s):

H Traut

Keyword(s):

Drosophila Melanogaster ◽

Mitomycin C ◽

Mutation Frequency ◽

Lethal Mutation ◽

X Rays ◽

Mutagenic Treatment ◽

X Chromosomes ◽

Recessive Lethal ◽

Lethal Mutations ◽

X Irradiation

ABSTRACT When females of Drosophila melanogaster are treated with chemical or physical mutagens, not only in one but also in both of the two homologous X chromosomes of a given oocyte, a recessive sex-linked lethal mutation may be induced. A method is described that discriminates between such "single" and "double mutations." A theory is developed to show how a comparison between the expected and the observed frequency of double mutations yields an indication of the intercellular distribution (random or nonrandom) of recessive lethal mutations induced by mutagenic agents in oocytes and, consequently, of the distribution (homogeneous or nonhomogeneous) of those agents.—Three agents were tested: FUdR (12.5, 50.0 and 81.0,μg/ml), mitomycin C (130.0 μg/ml) and X rays (2000 R, 150 kV). After FUdR feeding, no increase in the mutation frequency usually observed in D. melanogaster without mutagenic treatment was obtained (u=0.13%, namely three single mutations among 2332 chromosomes tested). After mitomycin C feeding, 104. single and three double mutations were obtained. All of the 50 mutations observed after X irradiation were single mutations. The results obtained in the mitomycin C and radiation experiments favor the assumption of a random intercellular distribution of recessive lethal mutations induced by these two agents in oocytes of D. melanogaster. Reasons are discussed why for other types of mutagenic agents nonrandom distributions may be observed with our technique.

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A CYTOGENETIC ANALYSIS OF THE CHROMOSOMAL REGION SURROUNDING THE α-GLYCEROPHOSPHATE DEHYDROGENASE LOCUS OF DROSOPHILA MELANOGASTER

Genetics ◽

10.1093/genetics/105.2.371 ◽

1983 ◽

Vol 105 (2) ◽

pp. 371-386

Author(s):

Michael A Kotarski ◽

Sally Pickert ◽

Ross J MacIntyre

Keyword(s):

Drosophila Melanogaster ◽

Polytene Chromosome ◽

Cytogenetic Analysis ◽

Chromosomal Region ◽

Chromosome Band ◽

Recombination Analysis ◽

Chromosome 2 ◽

Recessive Lethal ◽

Lethal Mutations ◽

Glycerophosphate Dehydrogenase

ABSTRACT The chromosomal region surrounding the structural gene for α-glycerophosphate dehydrogenase (αGpdh, 2-20.5) of Drosophila melanogaster has been studied in detail. Forty-three EMS-induced recessive lethal mutations and five previously identified visible mutations have been localized within the 25A-27D region of chromosome 2 by deficiency mapping and in some cases by a recombination analysis. The 43 lethal mutations specify 17 lethal loci. ?Gpdh has been localized to a single polytene chromosome band, 25F5, and there apparently are no lethals that map to the αGpdh locus.

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Potentiation of gamma-ray induced sex-linked recessive lethal mutations by butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT) in Drosophila melanogaster

Mutation Research Letters ◽

10.1016/0165-7992(73)90012-2 ◽

1973 ◽

Vol 21 (1) ◽

pp. 9 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Keyword(s):

Drosophila Melanogaster ◽

Gamma Ray ◽

Butylated Hydroxytoluene ◽

Recessive Lethal ◽

Lethal Mutations

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Development and complementation of lethal mutations at the dumpy locus of Drosophila melanogaster

Genetics Research ◽

10.1017/s0016672300012209 ◽

1971 ◽

Vol 17 (3) ◽

pp. 173-183 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Judith A. Metcalfe

Keyword(s):

Drosophila Melanogaster ◽

General Rule ◽

Lethal Effect ◽

Lethal Mutations

SUMMARYThe genetical and developmental aspects of six dumpy mutants of Drosophila melanogaster have been investigated. The mutants obm, lm and olv (possibly alleles), lv, lv1 and lvI (possibly alleles) were known to be lethal when homozygous. Previously the lethal effect has been treated as a uniform effect. However, the lethal stage is not the same for all homozygotes, being egg/larval (E/L) for the three lv alleles, egg (E) for olv, larval/larval ecdysis (L/L) for lm and E/L and larval (L) for obm. Not all heterozygous combinations are lethal, i.e. obm/lm and obm/lvI are not lethal. Phenotypically the lethal heterozygotes fall into two patterns: (i) combinations not involving the allele obm and (ii) combinations involving obm. In the former, the mutant with the developmentally later expression is ‘dominant’ to the mutant with the developmentally earlier expression. In the latter, the genotypes manifest different proportions of individuals at the lethal stages E, E/L and L. Previous observations suggested that the lethality of the homozygote obm/obm was associated with the presence of an independent lethal in the stock. Observations presented here suggest that the lethality is a function of the obm allele itself. Complementation between some of the lethal mutants is not in accordance with the general rule for dumpy that compounds manifest the traits they have in common.

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MALE-STERILIZING INTERACTIONS BETWEEN DUPLICATIONS AND DEFICIENCIES FOR PROXIMAL X-CHROMOSOME MATERIAL IN DROSOPHILA MELANOGASTER

Genetics ◽

10.1093/genetics/99.1.49 ◽

1981 ◽

Vol 99 (1) ◽

pp. 49-64

Author(s):

Rezaur Rahman ◽

Dan L Lindsley

Keyword(s):

Drosophila Melanogaster ◽

X Chromosome ◽

Male Fertility ◽

Primary Spermatocyte ◽

Single Factor ◽

X Chromosomes ◽

Recessive Lethal ◽

Lethal Mutations ◽

Y Chromosomes ◽

Chromosome Material

ABSTRACT The genetic limits of sixty-four deficiencies in the vicinity of the euchromatic-heterochromatic junction of the X chromosome were mapped with respect to a number of proximal recessive lethal mutations. They were also tested for male fertility in combination with three Y chromosomes carrying different amounts of proximal X-chromosome-derived material (BSYy+, y+Ymal126 and y + Ymal +). All deficiencies that did not include the locus of bb and a few that did were male-fertile in all male-viable Df(1)/Dp(1;Y) combinations. Nineteen bb deficiencies fell into six different classes by virtue of their male-fertility phenotypes when combined with the duplicated Y chromosomes. The six categories of deficiencies are consistent with a formalism that invokes three factors or regions at the base of the X, one distal and two proximal to bb, which bind a substance critical for precocious inactivation of the X chromosome in the primary spermatocyte. Free duplications carrying these regions or factors compete for the substance in such a way that, in the presence of such duplications, proximally deficient X chromosomes are unable to command sufficient substance for proper control of X-chromosome gene activity preparatory to spermatogenesis. We conclude that there is no single factor at the base of the X that is required for the fertility of males whose genotype is otherwise normal.

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The Effect of Temperature on the Mutation Rate in Drosophila Melanogaster

Australian Journal of Biological Sciences ◽

10.1071/bi9580085 ◽

1958 ◽

Vol 11 (1) ◽

pp. 85 ◽

Cited By ~ 7

Author(s):

BL Sheldon

Keyword(s):

Drosophila Melanogaster ◽

Mutation Rate ◽

Shock Treatment ◽

Effect Of Temperature ◽

Adult Males ◽

Heat Shock Treatment ◽

Recessive Lethal ◽

Lethal Mutations ◽

Consistent Treatment ◽

Large Response

The incidence of sex�linked recessive lethal mutations in Drosophila melano� gaster after heat shock treatment of both larvae and adult males is reported. There was no increase in the mutation rate after treatment of larvae and the results with adult males were not consistent. Treatment of the latter at 38�C caused an increase in mutation rate, due apparently to the large response of a few sensitive males. Treatment at 40�C caused no increase, and if one sensitive male was excluded, the mutation rate was significantly less than control. These results do not entirely support those of previous workers in the literature and possible reasons for this are discussed.

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HOMOEOSIS IN DROSOPHILA. I. COMPLEMENTATION STUDIES WITH REVERTANTS OF NASOBEMIA

Genetics ◽

10.1093/genetics/75.2.279 ◽

1973 ◽

Vol 75 (2) ◽

pp. 279-297

Author(s):

R E Denell

Keyword(s):

Drosophila Melanogaster ◽

Lethal Effect ◽

Complex Pattern ◽

Chromosome 3 ◽

Functional Interaction ◽

Dominant Mutation ◽

Recessive Lethal ◽

Sex Comb

ABSTRACT A number of homoeotic mutants have been localized to the proximal right arm of chromosome 3 of Drosophila melanogaster. These include seven alleles of Antennapedia (Antp), which is associated with a transformation of antennae into legs; Nasobemia (Ns), which causes the same phenotype as Antp but was considered by Gehring (1966) not to be an allele; and three genes causing a transformation of second and third legs into first legs: Extra sex comb (Scx), Polycomb (Pc), and Multiple sex comb (Msc.). The alleles of Antp and Scx share a common recessive lethal effect, and Pc maps 0.2-0.3 units to the left of Scx.—In the present investigation, rearrangements associated with the reversion of Ns suggest that its cytological location is in or just distal to salivary chromosome doublet 84B1-2. Although Ns is viable when homozygous, four of its revertants share a common recessive lethal effect. These revertants fail to complement the recessive lethality of AntpB and Scx. Furthermore, they show a complex pattern of functional interaction with Pc and with Humeral (Hu), a dominant mutation associated with a rearrangement with one breakpoint just distal to 84B1-2. Finally, analysis of a revertant of Msc indicates that Msc is also located very close to 84B1-2. It is concluded that Ns and Scx are alleles of Antp. Pc shows many functional similarities to the Antp locus, but is probably not allelic. Evidence is presented that these dominant homoeotic genes are neomorphic in nature.

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