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Double and triple mutant combinations of bithorax complex of Drosophila.
Author(s) -
Casanova J.,
SánchezHerrero E.,
Busturia A.,
Morata G.
Publication year - 1987
Publication title -
the embo journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 7.484
H-Index - 392
eISSN - 1460-2075
pISSN - 0261-4189
DOI - 10.1002/j.1460-2075.1987.tb02619.x
Subject(s) - biology , mutant , genetics , drosophila melanogaster , drosophila (subgenus) , mutation , phenotype , evolutionary biology , gene
We have constructed double and triple mutant combinations for the Ubx, abd‐A and Abd‐B genes of the bithorax complex and have examined the homeotic transformations they produce in the larval and adult patterns. Embryos hemizygous for the triple combination exhibit a metameric pattern consisting of parasegments 5‐12 being transformed into parasegment 4. In addition, parasegment 13 develops like a mixture of parasegment 3 and 4, and parasegment 14 is abnormal. The same phenotype is displayed by embryos homozygous for DfP9, lacking all the BX‐C DNA, >300 kb. This result strongly supports the notion that the BX‐C contains only three genes which account for all the developmental functions of the complex. The phenotypes of the different double combinations also support the same view; the Ubx abd‐a comthoracic and several abdominal functions. The abd‐A Abd‐B combination exhibits the same phenotype of DpP10 DfP9, lacking all the abdominal functions except those specific for A1. Our results also indicate that each BX‐C gene becomes active autonomously regardless of the presence or functional state of the other BX‐C genes.