Abstract
Food shortage resulting from crowding is a direct cause of reduced relative viability of theebony 11 mutant ofD. melanogaster and this in turn is a major factor in reduction of the frequency of thee 11 gene in cage populations. Since some insects require ascorbic acid and someebony mutants have been reported deficient in it, and since some doubt exists as to the presence of ascorbic acid in the food supply, a test was made to determine whether mutant inviability could be oftset by ascorbic acid. Substitution of ascorbic acid for live baker's yeast showed that dietary ascorbic acid has no effect on the relative viability ofe 11/e 11 or on the total yield of F2 progeny, either with or without sodium propionate.
Sodium propionate acts in addition to food shortage in decreasing the frequency ofe 11/e 11.
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Work aided by funds from the State of Washington Initiative Measure No. 171 for the Support of Biological and Medical Research.
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Moree, R. The effects of ascorbic acid and sodium propionate on the relative viability of a mutant ofDrosophila melanogaster . Genetica 37, 97–106 (1966). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01547123
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01547123