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A novel eye morphology induced by a P element in somatic tissue of Drosophila melanogaster

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Summary

We found a specific eye morphology designated as Square, which is induced when some Drosophila melanogaster strains harboring P elements are crossed with the Δ2–3 strain carrying a modified P element, P[ry +, Δ2–3], which produces transposase in somatic tissue. This phenotype was dominant and also induced in the reciprocal crosses. Square was induced when the Δ2–3 strain was crossed with Q and M′ strains such as the snw (M) strain carrying three small P elements but not with P strains. Inheritance of Square was also tested and its phenotype was not transmitted to the next generation. These results suggest that Square is caused by the transposition of P elements in somatic cells.

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Communicated by M. Sekiguchi

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Nitasaka, E., Yamazaki, T. A novel eye morphology induced by a P element in somatic tissue of Drosophila melanogaster . Molec. Gen. Genet. 227, 181–186 (1991). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00259669

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00259669

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