Summary
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1.
The effect of the female sterility genefu on the development of zygotes is described.
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2.
In matings offu females tofu males, abnormalities in development become apparent at the end of gastrulation. These result in the establishment of a general asymmetry in the germ layers which is never overcome and which is responsible for many of the ensuing abnormalities in development. Eventually an embryo is produced which resembles in many respects a fully differentiated larva, but which shows certain abnormalities which form the pattern of damage. No embryos emerge from the embryonic membranes.
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3.
The pattern of damage in male embryos from crosses offu females to non-fu males is similar to that observed in crosses of mutant to mutant. Female (non-lethal) embryos in such crosses exhibit abnormalities in differentiation of the segmental musculature. Adult heterozygous females from such crosses show a high incidence of abnormal abdominal segmentation, although the heterozygous female does not when the mother is not of the mutant genotype.
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4.
The patterns of damage in two alleles of thefu gene —fu g andfu ff — are generally the same as the pattern infu, although there are indications of allelic differences in the manifestation of gene action.
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5.
A primary effect of the genefu on growth processes is postulated.
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With 9 figures in the text
This paper is taken from a thesis presented to the Senatus of the University of Edinburgh in partial requirement for the degree Doctor of Philosophy.
This work was done during the tenure of Fulbright Scholarships in 1950 and 1951, and the Dorothy Bridgman Atkinson Fellowship of the American Association of University Women in 1952.
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Counce, S.J. Studies on female-sterility genes inDrosophila melanogaster . Z.Ver-erbungslehre 87, 462–481 (1956). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00737164
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00737164