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Pleiotropic effects of the ‘ecdysoneless-1’ mutation of Drosophila melanogaster

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Summary

At the restrictive temperature (29° C), ring glands of the temperature-sensitive mutant ‘ecdysoneless-1’ (ecd-1) of Drosophila secrete ecdysteroids in vitro at a low rate compared to wild-type. The ring gland, brain and also the larval salivary glands of non-pupariating ecd-1 larvae are smaller than wild-type and this lack of tissue development may be a major factor determining the low rate of ecdysteroid secretion by the ring gland. A heat pulse in larval development causes cell death in imaginal disc tissues and the adults emerging after such treatment display a variety of morphological abnormalities. These effects suggest that the ecd-1 mutation is a temperature-sensitive cell lethal and has more general effects on cell and tissue growth than has been supposed. Furthermore, we interpret the autonomous ovarian defects of ecd-1 females at the restrictive temperature in terms of non-lethal effects on the follicle epithelial cells. The diverse phenotypic effects of this mutation may represent autonomous pleiotropy and we urge caution in interpreting the defects of ecd-1 flies only in terms of ecdysteroid deficiency.

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Author notes

  1. Christopher P. F. Redfern

    Present address: Department of Biochemistry, University of Liverpool, P.O. Box 147, L69 3BX, Liverpool, UK

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Molecular Biology, University of Edinburgh, King's Buildings, Mayfield Road, EH9 3JR, Edinburgh, UK

    Christopher P. F. Redfern & Mary Bownes

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  1. Christopher P. F. Redfern
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  2. Mary Bownes
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Communicated by K. Illmensee

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Redfern, C.P.F., Bownes, M. Pleiotropic effects of the ‘ecdysoneless-1’ mutation of Drosophila melanogaster . Molec. Gen. Genet. 189, 432–440 (1983). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00325905

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00325905

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