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Regulation of rRNA gene number in Drosophila melanogaster: New aspects resulting from the use of free duplications

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Summary

We have isolated a bobbed (bb) mutant on the free duplication Dp(1; f)122bb + and we have measured the rDNA content of the bb + and the bb loci in genetic combinations in which none of the phenomena involved in the change of the rDNA redundancy occurs. We have also measured the rDNA content of the two bb loci carried by the free duplications in two different genetic combinations: (1) \(\widehat{{\text{XX}}}{\text{NO}}^ - /{\text{Dp}}122bb^ +\)and \(\widehat{{\text{XX}}}{\text{NO}}^ - /{\text{Dp}}122bb\)females in which there are two attached X chromosomes completely deleted for the nucleolus organizer (NO) regions and there-fore the only rDNA is contributed by the free duplication; (2) X/Dp122bb + and X/Dp122bb males, in which there are two bb loci, one on the X chromosome and the other on the X free duplication.

The bb + and the bb duplications produced an overall increase of the rDNA content in the two genetic conditions tested.

These results are not in favour of both a cis and trans effect of the regulator locus (cr + locus) hypothesised as being involved in the disproportionate replication of rRNA genes.

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Author notes

  1. G. Gargiulo

    Present address: Department of Biology, Unversity of Rochester, 14627, Rochester, NY, USA

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Istituto di Biologia Generale e Genetica, Università di Napoli, Via Mezzocannone 8, I-80134, Naples, Italy

    A. La Volpe, G. La Mantia, G. Gargiulo & C. Malva

  2. International Institute of Genetics and Biophysics, CNR, Via Marconi 10, I-80125, Naples, Italy

    A. La Volpe & C. Malva

Authors
  1. A. La Volpe
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  2. G. La Mantia
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  3. G. Gargiulo
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  4. C. Malva
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Communicated by Ch. Auerbach

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La Volpe, A., La Mantia, G., Gargiulo, G. et al. Regulation of rRNA gene number in Drosophila melanogaster: New aspects resulting from the use of free duplications. Molec. Gen. Genet. 194, 485–488 (1984). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00425562

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00425562

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