Premium
Expression and function of the Drosophila melanogaster ADH in male Ceratitis capitata adults: a potential strategy for medfly genetic sexing based on gene‐transfer technology
Author(s) -
Christophides G. K.,
Savakis C.,
Mintzas A. C.,
Komitopoulou K.
Publication year - 2001
Publication title -
insect molecular biology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.955
H-Index - 93
eISSN - 1365-2583
pISSN - 0962-1075
DOI - 10.1046/j.1365-2583.2001.00265.x
Subject(s) - ceratitis capitata , biology , drosophila melanogaster , sexing , transgene , genetics , alcohol dehydrogenase , tephritidae , gene , capitata , sterile insect technique , pest analysis , botany , brassica oleracea , ethanol , biochemistry
Abstract The aim of development of a Mediterranean fruit fly Ceratitis capitata genetic sexing strain derives from the large scale SIT programmes being carried out to control this pest. Toward this direction, we present here the male‐specific expression of the Drosophila melanogaster alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) in medfly transgenic adults generated by Minos ‐mediated germ line transformation. This expression pattern is obtained by using a promoter fragment of the male‐specific gene MSSP‐α2 of the medfly. We show that the heterologous enzyme is functional in the medfly oxidizing both ethanol and 2‐propanol. Although leading to an approximately twofold increase of total ADH activity in male compared to female transgenic adults, these expression levels are not enough for performing genetic sexing when high doses of environmental alcohol are applied. This could be achieved either by further enhancement of the transgene expression or by generating an Adh − line to host the Minos insertions.