Summary
-
1.
The development of the embryonic lethal mutantX 10 was studied by means of serial sections and by observations on living embryos.
-
2.
The factor varies in its expression; three distinct types of abnormal embryos are produced, and in some the lethality does not occur until the larval stage.
-
3.
Intype I embryos development stops after the formation of a cap of undifferentiated cells; intype II, differentiation is extremely limited, often giving nervous tissue exclusively, and no organ formation occurs;type III embryos reach a late stage of development, and the main features of morphogenesis are undisturbed, but cellular differentiation is retarded and abnormal.
-
4.
Type III embryos provide some evidence that the pole cells invaginated with the posterior mid-gut rudiment give rise to both the germ cells and to the middle mid-gut cells, and also that the mesodermal parts of the gonads do not develop in the absence of the germ cells.
-
5.
The origin of distinct types of embryonic lethal abnormalities, and of a larval lethality, from a single mutant factor, is discussed in terms of general developmental concepts.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
Abbreviations
- CLN :
-
cleavage nuclei
- CY :
-
cytoplasm
- CTN :
-
cytoplasm with nuclei
- HG :
-
hind-gut
- MG :
-
mid-gut
- MUS :
-
muscles
- MUSC :
-
muscle cells
- NT :
-
nervous tissue
- OES :
-
oesophagus
- PC :
-
pole cells
- PMG :
-
posterior mid-gut rudiment
- PPN :
-
polyploid nucleus
- PV :
-
proventriculus
- SG :
-
salivary gland
- ST :
-
stomodaeum
- TR :
-
trachea
- UDC :
-
undifferentiated cells
- Y :
-
yolk
References
Aboim, A. M.: Développement embryonnaire et post-embryonnaire des gonads normales et agamétiques deDrosophila melanogaster. Rev. suisse Zool.52, 53 (1945).
Brody, G.: The time of effect of some second chromosome lethals inDrosophila melanogaster. Genetics25, 645 (1940).
Counce, S. J., andG. G. Selman: The effects of ultrasonic treatment on embryonic development ofDrosophila melanogaster. J. Embryol. Exper. Morph.3, 121 (1955).
Dobzhansky, Th., andB. Spassky: Genetics of natural populations. XI. Manifestations of genetic variants inDrosophila pseudo-obscura in different environments. Genetics24, 270 (1944).
Ede, D. A.: Studies on the effects of some genetic lethal factors on the embryonic development ofDrosophila melanogaster. I. A preliminary survey of some sex-linked lethal stocks, and an analysis of the mutantLff 11. Arch. Entw.mechan.148, 416 (1956a).
—: Studies on the effects of some genetic lethal factors on the embryonic development ofDrosophila melanogaster. II. An analysis of the mutantX 2. Arch. Entw.mechan.148, 437 (1956b).
- Studies on the effects of some genetic lethal factors on the embryonic development ofDrosophila melanogaster. III. An analysis of the mutantX 27. (In press, a.)
- Studies on the effects of some genetic lethal factors on the embryonic development ofDrosophila melanogaster. IV. An analysis of the mutantX 20. (In press, b.)
Ede, D. A., andS. J. Counce: A cinematographic study of the embryonic development ofDrosophila melanogaster. Arch. Entw.mechan.148, 402 (1956).
Geigy, R.: Action de l'ultraviolet sur le pole germinal dans l'oeuf deDrosophila melanogaster. Rev. suisse Zool.38, 187 (1931).
Hadorn, E.: Prädetermination des Letalitätsgrades einer D.-Rasse durch den mütterlichen Genotypus. Rev. suisse Zool.47, 167.
- Gene action in growth and differentiation of lethal mutants ofDrosophila. Symposia Soc. f. Exper. Biol. II (Growth)1948, 177.
—: Zur Entwickmngsphysiologie der Mutante “lethaltranslucida” (ltr) vonDrosophila melanogaster. Rev. suisse Zool.56, 271 (1949).
—: Developmental action of lethal factorsin Drosophila. Adv. Genet.4, 53 (1951).
Hadorn, E., andP. S. Chen: Untersuchungen zur Phasenspezifität der Wirkung von Letalfaktoren beiDrosophila melanogaster. Arch. Klaus-Stiftg27, 147 (1952).
Hadorn, E., andH. Gloor: Cryptocephal, ein spät wirkender Letalfaktor beiDrosophila melanogaster. Rev. suisse Zool.50, 256 (1943).
Hadorn, E., andH. Zeller: Fertilitätsstudien anDrosophila melanogaster. I. Untersuchungen zum altersbedingten Fertilitätsabfall. Arch. Entw.mechan.142, 276 (1943).
Landauer, W.: Studies on the creeper fowl III. The early development and lethal expression of homozygous creeper embryos. J. Genet.25, 367 (1932).
Oster, I. I.: A study of ultraviolet induced lethal mutations inDrosophila melanogaster. Heredity (Lond.)6, 403 (1952).
—: The time of death of sex-linked lethals of different origins inDrosophila melanogaster. Nature (Lond.)173, 594 (1954).
Rizki, M. T. M.: Ontogenetic distribution of genetic lethality inDrosophila willistoni. J. of Exper. Zool.121, 327 (1952).
Waddington, G. H.: Organisers and genes. London 1940.
—: The pupal contraction as an epigenetic crisis inDrosophila. Proc. Zool. Soc. Lond. A111, 181 (1941).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Ede, D.A. Studies on the effects of some genetic lethal factors on the embryonic development ofDrosophila melanogaster . W. Roux' Archiv f. Entwicklungsmechanik 149, 247–258 (1956). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00573352
Received:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00573352