The short-wing gene inDrosophila melanogaster, and the effect of temperature on its manifestation

Summary

A new recessive gene inDrosophila melanogaster is described which affects the eyes and wings in various characteristic ways, the degree of its manifestation in the population depending upon temperature. At high temperature (31°) it acts as a lethal; with successively lower temperatures its viability increases, and its expression decreases from nearly 100 per cent. at 27·5° to 0 at 14°. At the latter temperaturesw flies are indistinguishable from wild-type. An interesting feature of the results is that temperature affects the several manifestations of this gene in quite different ways.

Preliminary experiments indicate that temperature is effective on certain of the characters in both larval and pupal stages, and on others chiefly in the late larval stage.

Because of its manifestations and sensitivity to temperature the new gene provides good material for studying several of the different ways in which a mutant gene may affect development.

The experiments are being continued.