title: Genetic analysis of the Drosophila cdc2 homolog.
abstract: We have identified mutations in the Drosophila cdc2 gene. The recessive lethality of these mutant alleles was rescued after P-element-mediated transformation with a genomic cdc2 fragment. Sequence analysis of amorphic alleles revealed non-conservative exchanges in evolutionary conserved positions. These alleles caused lethality at the larval-pupal interphase due to the absence of imaginal tissues. Embryonic lethality resulted when the maternal Dm cdc2 contribution was reduced through the use of a temperature-sensitive allele. Dm cdc2 function, therefore, is essential for cell proliferation throughout development. Dm cdc2 function is clearly required for mitosis, but no evidence for a requirement in S-phase was obtained. The reversible block of the mitotic proliferation which was observed in the PNS of mutant embryos occurred exclusively in the G2-phase. Moreover, while the mitotic proliferation of imaginal cells was blocked in the amorphic mutant larvae, non-imaginal larval cells continued to grow and endoreplicate their DNA. The Dm cdc2 mutant phenotype could neither be rescued with Dm cdc2c (encoding a cdc2-like kinase) nor enhanced by a reduction of the Dm cdc2c gene dose. These results indicate that the Dm cdc2- and Dm cdc2c-kinases control different processes.
authors.affiliation: Friedrich-Miescher-Laboratorium der Max-Planck-Gesellschaft, Tübingen, FRG.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Stern
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Ried
authors.forename: N J
authors.initials: NJ
authors.lastname: Clegg
authors.forename: T A
authors.initials: TA
authors.lastname: Grigliatti
authors.forename: C F
authors.initials: CF
authors.lastname: Lehner
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D016203:CDC2 Protein Kinase / Q000235:genetics*; D002455:Cell Division / Q000235:genetics; D004330:Drosophila / Q000196:embryology / Q000235:genetics*; D017344:Genes, Insect; D005804:Genes, Lethal / Q000235:genetics*; D005808:Genes, Recessive / Q000235:genetics*; D008856:Microscopy, Fluorescence; D008938:Mitosis / Q000235:genetics; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009154:Mutation / Q000235:genetics; D010641:Phenotype
chemical_list: D016203:CDC2 Protein Kinase