Abstract
The three existing dominant gain-of-function Drop alleles, Dr 1, Dr Mioand Dr We, previously assumed to define a single locus, severely disrupt eye development. Genetic analysis of ethylmethanesulphonate (EMS) and irradiation-induced revertants revealed that the Drop mutations define two loci: the Drop locus, which is defined by the Dr 1 and Dr Mio mutants, and a separate locus defined by the Dr We mutation, which has been renamed Wedge. The majority of the Dr 1 and Dr Mio revertants are embryonic lethal in trans, mutant embryos exhibiting trachea that fail to join the Filzkörper, thus revealing a role for the Drop gene in embryogenesis. Clonal analysis of lethal revertant alleles suggests a role for both genes in eye development. In the Drop homozygous mutant clones, the outer photoreceptor cells R1–R6 develop aberrantly. Wedge, however, is not required by the developing photoreceptor cells but its absence does disrupt normal ommatidial alignment. Although the Drop and nearby string loci were shown to be genetically distinct, both Dr 1 and Dr Mio were found to interact in trans with lesions at the string locus, causing loss and derangement of bristles and loss of neuromuscular coordination.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Baker N, Rubin GM (1990) Effect on eye development of dominant mutations in Drosophila homologue of the EGF receptor. Nature 340:150–153
Bingham PM, Zachar Z (1985) Evidence that two mutations, w Dzland z 1, affecting synapsis dependent genetic behaviour of white are transcriptional regulatory mutants. Cell 40:819–825
Cagan RL, Ready DF (1989a) The emergence of order in the Drosophila pupal retina. Dev Biol 136:346–362
Cagan RL, Ready DF (1989b) Notch is required for successive cell decisions in the developing Drosophila retina. Genes Dev 3:1099–1112
Celniker SE, Lewis EB (1987) Transabdominal, a dominant mutant of the Bithorax Complex, produces a sexually dimorphic segmental transformation in Drosophila. Genes Dev 1:111–123
Edgar BA, O'Farrell PH (1989) Genetic control of cell division patterns in the Drosophila embryo. Cell 57:177–187
Fujita SC, Zipursky SL, Benzer S, Ferrús A, Shotwell SL (1982) Monoclonal antibodies against the Drosophila nervous system. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 79:7929–7933
Harte PJ, Kankel DR (1982) Genetic analysis of mutations at the Glued locus and interacting loci in Drosophila melanogaster. Genetics 101:477–501
Heberlin U, Rubin GM (1991) Star is required in a subset of photoreceptor cells in the developing Drosophila retina and displays dosage sensitive interactions with rough. Dev Biol 144:353–361
Jürgens G, Weigel D (1988) Terminal versus segmental development in the Drosophila embryo: the role of the homeotic gene fork head. Roux's Arch Dev Biol 197:345–354
Jürgens G, Nüsslein-Volhard C, Wieschaus E (1984) Mutations affecting the pattern of the larval cuticle in Drosophila melanogaster. II. Zygotic loci on the third chromosome. Roux's Arch Dev Biol 193:283–295
Lindsley DL, Grell EH (1968) Genetic variations of Drosophila melanogaster. Carnegie Inst Wash Publ 627
Lindsley DL, Zimm G (1985) The genome of D. melanogaster. Part 1: Genes A-K. Drosophila Information Service 62
Lindsley DL, Zimm G (1992) The genome of D. melanogaster. Part 4: Genes L-Z. Drosophila Information Service 68
Muller HJ (1965) New mutants. Drosophila Information Service 40:36
Nüsslein-Volhard C, Wieschaus E, Kluding H (1984) Mutations affecting the pattern of the larval cuticle in Drosophila melanogaster. II. Zygotic loci on the third chromosome. Roux's Arch Dev Biol 193:267–282
Renfranz PJ, Benzer S (1989) Monoclonal antibody probes discriminate early and late mutant defects in development of the Drosophila retina. Dev Biol 136:411–429
Sobels FH (1958) New mutants. Drosophila Information Service 32:84
Swaroop A, Sun JW, Paco-Larsen ML, Garen A (1986) Molecular organisation and expression of the genetic locus Glued of Drosophila melanogaster. Mol Cell Biol 6:833–841
Tearly RG, Belote JM, McKeown M, Howells AJ, Baker BS (1989) Cloning and characterisation of the scarlet gene of Drosophila melanogaster. Genetics 122:595–606
Tomlinson A (1988) Cellular interactions in the developing Drosophila eye. Development 104:183–193
Tomlinson A, Ready DF (1987) Neuronal differentiation in the Drosophila ommatidium. Dev Biol 120:336–376
Wieschaus E, Nüsslein-Vollhard C (1986) Looking at embryos. In: Roberts DB (ed) Drosophila: a practical approach. IRL Press, Oxford, pp 199–227
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Tearle, R., Tomlinson, A. & Saint, R. The dominant Drop eye mutations of Drosophila melanogaster define two loci implicated in normal eye development. Molec. Gen. Genet. 244, 426–434 (1994). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00286695
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00286695