Skip to main content
Log in

The genetics of position — effect variegation modifying loci inDrosophila melanogaster

  • Published:
Molecular and General Genetics MGG Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Summary

The dose dependent effects of position-effect variegation (PEV) modifying genes were studied in chromosome arms2L, 2R and3R. Four groups of PEV modifying genes can be distinguished: haplo-abnormal suppressor and enhancer loci with or without a triplo-effect. using duplications four triplo-abnormal suppressor and four triplo-abnormal enhancer functions were localized. In two cases we proved that these functions correspond to a converse haplo-abnormal one. Altogether 43 modifier loci were identified. Most of these loci proved not to display significant triplo-effects (35). The group of haplo-abnormal loci with a triplo-effect may represent genes which play an important role in heterochromatin packaging.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Baker WK (1968) Position-effect variegation. Adv Genet 14:133–169

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Bridges PN (1941) A revision of the salivary gland 3R-chromosome map of Drosophila melanogaster. J Hered 32:299–300

    Google Scholar 

  • Cowell JK, Hartmann-Goldstein IJ (1980) Modification of the DNA content in translocated regions of Drosophila polytene chromosomes. Chromosoma 81:55–64

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Dorn R, Heymann S, Lindigkeit R, Reuter G (1986) Suppressor mutation of position-effect variegation inDrosophila melanogaster affecting chromatin properties. Chromosoma 93:398–403

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Eissenberg JC, Elgin SCR, James TC (1987) A heterochromatin specific chromosomal protein inDrosophila melanogaster. Genetics 116:s4

    Google Scholar 

  • Hartmann-Goldstein IJ (1967) On the relationship between heterochromatisation and variegation in Drosophila with special reference to temperature-sensitive periods. Genet Res 10:143–159

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Henikoff S (1979) Position-effects and variegation enhancers in an autosomal region ofDrosophila melanogaster. Genetics 93:106–115

    Google Scholar 

  • Ising G, Block K (1981) Derivation-dependent distribution of insertion sites for a Drosophila transposon. Cold Spring Harbor Symp Quant Biol 45:527–544

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • James TC, Elgin SCR (1986) Identification of a nonhistone chromosomal protein associated with heterochromatin in Drosophila and its gene. Mol Cell Biol 6:3862–3872

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Janning W (1970) Bestimmung des Heterochromatisierungsstadiums beim white-Positionseffekt mittels röntgeninduzierter Rekombination in der Augenanlage vonDrosophila melanogaster. Mol Gen Genet 107:128–149

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Lewis EB (1950) The phenomenon of position effect. Adv Genet 3:73–115

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Lindsley D, Zimm G (1987) The genome ofDrosophila melanogaster. Part 3: rearrangements. Dros Inf Serv 65:1–224

    Google Scholar 

  • Locke J, Kotarski MA, Tartof KD (1988) Dosage dependent modifiers of position effect variegation in Drosophila and a mass action model that explains their effect. Genetics 120:181–198

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Moore GD, Procunier JD, Cross DP, Grigliatti TA (1979) Histone gene deficiencies and position-effect variegation in Drosophila. Nature 282:312–314

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Prokovjeva-Belgovskaya AA (1947) Heterochromatization as a change in chromosome cycle. J Genet 48:80–98

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Reuter G, Szidonya J (1983) Cytogenetic analysis of variegation suppressors and a dominant temperature-sensitive lethal in region 23–26 of chromosome 2L inDrosophila melanogaster. Chromosoma 88:277–285

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Reuter G, Wolff I (1981) Isolation of dominant suppressor mutations for position-effect variegation inDrosophila melanogaster. Mol Gen Genet 182:516–519

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Reuter G, Werner W, Hoffmann HJ (1982a) Mutants affecting position-effect heterochromatinization inDrosophila melanogaster. Chromosoma 85:539–551

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Reuter G, Dorn R, Hoffmann HJ (1982b) Butyrate sensitive suppressor of position-effect variegation mutations inDrosophila melanogaster. Mol Gen Genet 188:480–485

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Reuter G, Hoffmann HJ, Wolff I (1983) Genetic study of position-effect variegation inDrosophila melanogaster: In(1)w m4 as a standard rearrangement for the isolation and characterization of suppressor and enhancer mutants. Biol Zentralb 102:281–298

    Google Scholar 

  • Reuter G, Dorn R, Wustmann G, Friede B, Rauh G (1986) Third chromosome suppressor of position-effect variegation loci inDrosophila melanogaster. Mol Gen Genet 202:481–487

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Reuter G, Gausz J, Gyurkovics H, Friede B, Bang R, Spierer A, Hall LMC, Spierer P (1987) Modifiers of position-effect variegation in the region from 86C to 88B of theDrosophila melanogaster third chromosome. Mol Gen Genet 210:429–436

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Sinclair DAR, Mottus RC, Grigliatti TA (1983) Genes which suppress position-effect variegation inDrosophila melanogaster are clustered. Mol Gen Genet 191:326–333

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Spofford JB (1976) Position-effect variegation in Drosophila. In: Ashburner M, Novitski E (eds) The genetics and biology of Drosophila, vol 1C. Academic Press, New York, pp 955–1018

    Google Scholar 

  • Szabad J, Reuter G, Schröder MB (1988) The effects of two mutations connected with chromatin functions on female germline cells of Drosophila. Mol Gen Genet 211:56–62

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Szidonya J, Reuter G (1988) Cytogenetic analysis of theechinoid (ed), dumpy (dp) andclot (cl) region inDrosophila melanogaster. Genet Res 51:197–208

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zhimulev IF, Belyaeva OV, Fomina MO, Bolshakov VN (1986) Cytogenetic and molecular aspects of position effect variegation inDrosophila melanogaster I. Morphology and genetic activity of the 2AB region in chromosome rearrangementT(1;2) dorvat7. Chromosoma 94:492–504

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Additional information

Communicated by J.A. Campos-Ortega

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Wustmann, G., Szidonya, J., Taubert, H. et al. The genetics of position — effect variegation modifying loci inDrosophila melanogaster . Molec. Gen. Genet. 217, 520–527 (1989). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02464926

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02464926

Key words

Navigation