Conditional Mutations in Drosophila: Concept of Genes That Control Individual Development

Boris F Chadov,Eugenia V Chadova,Nina B Fedorova

doi:10.4236/abb.2018.96017

Abstract

The conditional mutations in D. melanogaster are produced by gamma-irradiation, maintained in laboratory cultures, and inherited as gene mutations. However, their manifestation differs from the conventional mutations by several specific features. The most noticeable specific feature is their conditional nature, i.e., a conditional mutation manifests itself in the individuals of a certain genotype being silent in the individuals with another genotype. A particular procedure for mutation recovery determines what these genotypes will be. An overwhelming number of mutations are conditional dominant lethals. The viable mutation carriers display a drastically decreased fertility. Early zygotic lethality is inherited according to parental type (maternal or paternal). The carriers of conditional mutations give the offspring with a high rate of monstrosities. The possibility for the offspring to form monstrosities is inherited according to a parental (maternal or paternal) type. The level of fertility of conditional mutants is altered by chromosomal rearrangements. The chromosomal rearrangements themselves cause a decrease in fertility. Lethality of the progenies produced by the parents carrying rearrangements is inherited according to a parental (maternal or paternal) type. The results allow for a set of logical arguments in favor of that 1) the genome has a specialized system of genes (ontogenes) that control the course of individual development; 2) unlike a classical gene, acting according to the scheme DNA à RNA à protein, the ontogene implements the regulation according to the scheme DNA à RNA; and 3) the course of individual development is programmed by double-strand RNAs produced by ontogenes in germline cells.

Highlights

A living organism appears owing to 1) the processes of protein, fat, and carbohydrate chemical syntheses; 2) the regulatory system that controls and provides these synthetic processes in due time and due place; and 3) self-organization of the synthesized chemical molecules and structures
The results allow for a set of logical arguments in favor of that 1) the genome has a specialized system of genes that control the course of individual development; 2) unlike a classical gene, acting according to the scheme DNA RNA protein, the ontogene implements the regulation according to the scheme DNA RNA; and 3) the course of individual development is programmed by double-strand RNAs produced by ontogenes in germline cells
As for the synthesis itself, it is known that this process is under the terms of reference of genetic system being controlled by genes

Summary

Introduction

A living organism appears owing to 1) the processes of protein, fat, and carbohydrate chemical syntheses; 2) the regulatory system that controls and provides these synthetic processes in due time and due place; and 3) self-organization of the synthesized chemical molecules and structures. As for the synthesis itself, it is known that this process is under the terms of reference of genetic system being controlled by genes. Genetic aspects of the regulatory processes and self-organization are less clear It has been stated at different times and with different degrees of determination that the genes that control the synthesis cannot, exclusively on their own, provide 1) the course of morphogenesis [1] [2] [3], 2) biological similarity of the organisms within a species [4], and 3) a systems-based nature characteristic of any living organism [5] [6]. The proponents of epigenetics share this point of view They regard the control of regulation and self-organization as belonging to a specialized area referred to as epigenetics rather than to genetics. The above considerations suggest that the current genetics still lacks the complete list of genetic elements that provide the existence of a living organism

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