Superunstable alleles at the cut locus in Drosophila melanogaster.
This is a detailed study of the reversions of the ctMR2 allele putatively carrying á mobile element (MR-transposon) in the cut locus. Stable, unstable and superunstable revertants have been identified. Besides, a series of multiple unstable visible and lethal ct mutations derived from the ctMR2 allele have been obtained. They are shown to include supermutable alleles. The results suggest that the MR-transposon is connected with at least three functions: excision; change of orientation; and change of position within the cut locus, these functions being disturbed in different ways in different unstable ct+ and ct alleles. In some cases the mutant transitions are somehow strongly stimulated leading to superinstability, reaching the rate of 0.5.
D000483:Alleles; D000818:Animals; D004251:DNA Transposable Elements; D004331:Drosophila melanogaster / Q000235:genetics*; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D009154:Mutation
D004251:DNA Transposable Elements