Summary
By incorporating ethanol (4% v/v) into the larval rearing medium of a specially constructed Drosophila melanogaster strain it was possible to produce only male adults; the female larvae died.
In this strain, the male determining chromosome was linked with a positive Alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) allele by a translocation. The females were homozygous for the null allele and hence sensitive to ethanol.
This genetic sexing method is discussed in relation to its use in the genetic control of insects.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
Literature
Baker, R.H.; Sakai, R.K.; Saifuddin, U.T. (1978): Genetic sexing technique for a mosquito sterile male release. Nature 274, 253–255
Bijlsma-Meeles, E. (1979): Viability in Drosophila melanogaster in relation to age and ADH activity of eggs transferred to ethanol food. Heredity 42, 79–89
Curtis, C.F. (1978): Genetic sex separation in Anopheles arabiensis and the production of sterile hybrids. Bull. Wld. Hlth. Org. 56, 453–456
Grell, E.H.; Jacobson, K.B.; Murphy, J.B. (1965): Alcohol dehydrogenase in Drosophila melanogaster: Isozymes and genetic variants. Science 149, 80–82
Seawright, J.A.; Kaiser, P.E.; Dame, D.A.; Lofgren, C.S. (1978): Genetic method for the preferential elimination of females of Anopheles albimanus. Science 200, 1303–1304
Vigue, C; Sofer, W. (1976): Chemical selection of mutants that affect ADH activity in Drosophila. III Effects of ethanol. Biochem Genet. 14, 127–135
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Additional information
Communicated by J.S.F. Barker
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Robinson, A.S., van Heemert, C. Genetic sexing in Drosophila melanogaster using the alcohol dehydrogenase locus and a Y-linked translocation. Theoret. Appl. Genetics 59, 23–24 (1981). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00275770
Received:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00275770