Gene control of soluble protein levels during development of Abnormal abdomen in Drosophila

Abstract

The mutant genotype Abnormal abdomen ( A 53 g ) of Drosophila melanogaster causes an increase in the amount of soluble protein per fly when compared to a wild-type strain ( Ore-R). This increase is first detected at 50 hr after puparium formation and is preceded 2 hr earlier by an increase in total RNA. A direct correlation is found between the expressivity of the A 53 g mutation in the adult fly and the total soluble protein per mg body weight of that fly. Quantitative analyses of supernatant protein from mutant and wild-type flies on polyacrylamide disk gel electrophoresis reveal that the increases observed in the mutant are due to increases in specific electrophoretic classes of proteins and not to a general stimulation of all proteins. Reciprocal crosses between mutant and wild-type flies indicate that the penetrance and expressivity of the A 53 g phenotype is under maternal control and that an increased soluble protein content in F1 flies is found only when the mutant genotype is contributed to the F1 through the maternal gamete.