title: Molecular cloning of mei-41, a gene that influences both somatic and germline chromosome metabolism of Drosophila melanogaster.
abstract: The mei-41 gene of Drosophila melanogaster plays an essential role in meiosis, in the maintenance of somatic chromosome stability, in postreplication repair and in DNA double-strand break repair. This gene has been cytogenetically localized to polytene chromosome bands 14C4-6 using available chromosomal aberrations. About 60 kb of DNA sequence has been isolated following a bidirectional chromosomal walk that extends over the cytogenetic interval 14C1-6. The breakpoints of chromosomal aberrations identified within that walk establish that the entire mei-41 gene has been cloned. Two independently derived mei-41 mutants have been shown to carry P insertions within a single 2.2 kb fragment of the walk. Since revertants of those mutants have lost the P element sequences, an essential region of the mei-41 gene is present in that fragment. A 10.5 kb genomic fragment that spans the P insertion sites has been found to restore methyl methanesulfonate resistance and female fertility of the mei-41D3 mutants. The results demonstrate that all the sequences required for the proper expression of the mei-41 gene are present on this genomic fragment. This study provides the foundation for molecular analysis of a function that is essential for chromosome stability in both the germline and somatic cells.
authors.affiliation: Section of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of California Davis 95616.
authors.forename: S S
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Banga
authors.forename: A H
authors.initials: AH
authors.lastname: Yamamoto
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Mason
authors.forename: J B
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Boyd
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002874:Chromosome Mapping; D016386:Chromosome Walking; D002875:Chromosomes / Q000378:metabolism*; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D003582:Cytogenetics / Q000379:methods; D004260:DNA Repair / Q000235:genetics*; D004251:DNA Transposable Elements / Q000235:genetics; D004331:Drosophila melanogaster / Q000235:genetics*; D004351:Drug Resistance; D005260:Female; D017344:Genes, Insect / Q000235:genetics*; D005816:Genetic Complementation Test; D015698:Genomic Library; D008540:Meiosis / Q000235:genetics; D008741:Methyl Methanesulfonate / Q000494:pharmacology; D008938:Mitosis / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D004251:DNA Transposable Elements; D008741:Methyl Methanesulfonate