MOLECULAR-GENETIC ANALYSIS OF THE DIP1 REGULATOR GENE IN VARIOUS SPECIES OF DROSOPHILA

The DIP1 is a regulator gene of D. melanogaster with an unknown function. As a result of mRNA alternative splicing, at least 6 coding sequences are formed (DIP1-c/Klett-c, DIP1-b/ Klett-d, DIP1-d, DIP1-а, Klett-a, and Klett-b). Structure and expression of DIP1 homologues in various species of the melanogaster subgroup, such as D. melanogaster, D. sechellia, D. mauritiana, D. simulans, D. erecta,and D. yakuba, have been analyzed. In D. sechellia, D. simulans, and D. mauritiana we found alterations, which affected expression of the DIP1 homologues in contrast to D. melanogaster, D. erecta, and D. yakuba. These alterations have to do with splicing of the first alternative exon. It has been demonstrated that DIP1 homologues of D. sechellia, D. simulans and D. mauritiana do not code for Klett-а and Klett b forms.