Article Abstract:
The female-lethal-2-d gene, or fl(2)d, interacts with the sex-lethal (Sxl) gene during sex determination in Drosophila. Mutations were induced in the fl(2)d gene by EMS treatment to further elucidate its function and relationship with the Sxl gene. The analyses showed that fl(2)d functions as a splicing factor for the Sxl RNA in females. In addition, fl(2)d is also required for the expression of Sxl in the female germline. However, the gene is also required for male viability. Therefore, fl(2)d has a dual function, one which is female-specific, and one which affects the development of both males and females.
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Article Abstract:
A total of 10 dominant autosomal sisterless A (sisA) suppressors were recovered from a screen of the entire genome for denominator elements in Drosophila melanogaster. Molecular analysis revealed that all the suppressors are alleles of deadpan (dpn), a pleiotropic locus previously thought to be a denominator element. Genetic and molecular characterization of these allelles showed that all were impaired for both sex-specific and nonsex-specific functions. Examination of the expression of dpn in mutant backgrounds supports that dpn is required for sex determination in D. melanogaster.
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Article Abstract:
A study showed that Drosophila melanogaster's sex-lethal, transformer and transformer-2 genes were responsible for suppressing the development of male-specific abdominal muscles in female flies. The doublesex and intersex genes played no part in the differentiation of sex-specific muscles. Both male and female flies, which were mutant for five sex determining genes, were examined for the formation of male-specific abdominal muscles.
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