title: Progressive loss of DNA sequences from terminal chromosome deficiencies in Drosophila melanogaster.
abstract: Terminal deficiencies at the tip of the X chromosome can be induced at a high frequency (0.2-0.3%) by irradiating Drosophila females carrying a homozygous mutator (mu-2) with low doses of X-rays. These terminal deficiencies are unstable, since over a period of 3 1/2 years DNA sequences were lost from their distal ends at a rate of 75 bp per generation, presumably due to the absence of a complete wild-type telomeric structure. Breakpoints of these deletions in the 5' upstream regulatory region of the yellow gene, giving rise to a mosaic cuticle pigmentation pattern typical of the y2 type, were used to define the location of tissue-specific cis-acting regulatory elements that are required for body, wing or bristle pigmentation.
authors.affiliation: Developmental Biology Center, University of California, Irvine 92717.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Biessmann
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Mason
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002875:Chromosomes / Q000502:physiology; D003433:Crosses, Genetic; D004247:DNA / Q000235:genetics* / Q000528:radiation effects; D004262:DNA Restriction Enzymes; D004331:Drosophila melanogaster / Q000235:genetics*; D005260:Female; D005809:Genes, Regulator; D008297:Male; D009154:Mutation; D014965:X-Rays
chemical_list: D004247:DNA; D004262:DNA Restriction Enzymes