Skip to main content
Log in

Constitutive heterochromatin in early embryogenesis of Drosophila melanogaster

  • Short communications
  • Published:
Molecular and General Genetics MGG Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Summary

The formation of constitutive heterochromatin was studied during the embryonic development of Drosophila melanogaster, using the C-banding technique. During embryonic cleavage, C-banded material is not seen in mitotic chromosomes; the differentiation between euchromatin and heterochromatin only occurs at blastoderm. This event correlates with the establishment of position-effect variegation.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

References

  • Bloch DP, Hew HYC (1960) Changes in nuclear histones during fertilization, and early embryonic development in the pulmonate snail Helix aspersa. J Biophysic Biochem Cytol 8:69–82

    Google Scholar 

  • Das CC, Kaufmann BP, Gay H (1964) Histone protein transition in Drosophila melanogaster. II. Changes during early embryonic development. J Cell Biol 23: 423–430

    Google Scholar 

  • Hartmann-Goldstein I (1967) On the relationship between heterochromatization and variegation in Drosophila with special reference to temperature sensitive periods. Gen Res Camb 10:143–159

    Google Scholar 

  • Hieter P, Hendricks M, Hemminki K, Weinberg E (1979) Histone gene switch in the sea urchin embryo. Identification of the late embryonic histone messenger ribonucleic acids and the control of their synthesis. Biochemistry 18:2701–2716

    Google Scholar 

  • Huettner AF (1933) Continuity of the centrioles in Drosophila melanogaster. Z Zellforsch Mikrosc Anal 19:119–134

    Google Scholar 

  • James TC, Eisenberg JC, Craig C, Dietrich V, Hobson A, Elgin SCR (1989) Distribution of HP1, a heterochromatin-associated nonhistone chromosomal protein of Drosophila. Eur J Cell Biol 50:170–180

    Google Scholar 

  • Mahowald AP, Hardy PA (1985) Genetics of Drosophila embryogenesis. Annu Rev Genet 19:149–177

    Google Scholar 

  • Pimpinelli S, Santini G, Gatti M (1976) Characterization of Drosophila heterochromatin. II. C- and N-banding. Chromosoma 57:377–386

    Google Scholar 

  • Prokofjeva-Belgovskaya AA (1982) The role of non-histone proteins in the transformations and genetic functioning of the chromosomes. Molek Biologia (USSR) 16(4):771–781

    Google Scholar 

  • Rabinowitz M (1941) Studies on the cytology and early embryology of the egg of Drosophila melanogaster. J Morphol 69:1–49

    Google Scholar 

  • Sonnenblick BP (1950) The early embryology of Drosophila melanogaster: In: Demerec M (ed) Biology of Drosophila, Wiley, New York, pp 62–167

    Google Scholar 

  • Sumner AT (1972) A simple technique for demonstrating centromeric heterochromatin. Exp Cell Res 75:304–306

    Google Scholar 

  • Underwood EM, Lengyel JA (1988) Drosophila genes encoding maternal-specific and maternal-differential RNAs. Devel Gen 9(1):23–35

    Google Scholar 

  • Wieschaus E, Sweeton D (1988) Requirements for X-linked zygotic gene activity during cellurazation of early Drosophila embryos. Development 104(3):483–493

    Google Scholar 

  • Zhimulev IF, Belyaeva ES, Bgatov AV, Baricheva EM, Vlassova IF (1988) Cytogenetic and molecular aspects of position effect variegation in Drosophila melanogaster. II. Peculiarities of morphology and genetic activity of the 2B region in the T(1;2)dorvar7 chromosome in males. Chromosoma 96:255–261

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Additional information

Communicated by M. Ashburner

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Vlassova, I.E., Graphodatsky, A.S., Belyaeva, E.S. et al. Constitutive heterochromatin in early embryogenesis of Drosophila melanogaster . Molec. Gen. Genet. 229, 316–318 (1991). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00272172

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00272172

Key words

Navigation