Butyrate sensitive suppressor of position-effect variegation mutations in Drosophila melanogaster.
Mutations at a locus on chromosome II of D. melanogaster suppressing position-effect variegation mutations have been identified which display recessive butyrate sensitivity. Survival of homozygous mutant flies is significantly reduced on medium containing sodium n-butyrate. The butyrate sensitive suppressor mutations are further characterized by recessive female sterility and reduced survival of homozygotes. Complementation analysis showed their allelism. The locus of these mutations, Su-var (2) 1, has been localized to 40.5 +/- 0.2 and, by using interstitial duplications, to region 31CD on the cytogenetic map. Moreover, the mutant alleles of the Su-var (2) 1 locus display a lethal interaction with the heterochromatic Y chromosome. The presence or absence of a Y chromosome in males or females has a strong influence on the viability of homozygous or transheterozygous suppressor flies. All the genetic properties of Su-var (2) 1 mutants suggest strongly that this locus affects chromosome condensation.
D000818:Animals; D002087:Butyrates / Q000494:pharmacology*; D020148:Butyric Acid; D003433:Crosses, Genetic; D004331:Drosophila melanogaster / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics; D005260:Female; D008297:Male; D009154:Mutation; D010641:Phenotype; D013489:Suppression, Genetic / Q000187:drug effects*
D002087:Butyrates; D020148:Butyric Acid