Drosophila melanogaster chemosensory and muscle development: Identification and properties of a novel allele ofscalloped and of a new locus, SG18.1, in a Gal4 enhancer trap screen

Abstract

Our primary interest is to probe into the genetic and molecular mechanisms underlying the development of the chemosensory and neuromuscular systems inDrosophila melanogaster. We have generated and characterized 40 Gal4 enhancer trap lines with P-Gal4 insertion as an attempt to identify genes with a likely role in the development and differentiation of chemosensory and neuromuscular tissues, and at the same time to obtain Gal4 drivers that would facilitate targeted ectopic expression of genes in these tissues. Insertion strain SG18.1 has reporter gene activity in major olfactory components of the adult fly and in their presumptive areas in the imaginal discs. SG29.1 has an insertion in thescalloped gene and has been useful in understanding genetic interactions that pattern the wing and in defining the role ofscalloped in muscle development in flies.