Mutagenesis in female germ cells of a recombination-defective strain ( c3 G) of Drosophila melanogaster: I. Spontaneous mutations at the Minute locus

Abstract

The frequency of spontaneous Minute mutations was investigated in the F 1 progeny of interstrain and intrastrain matings between a recombination-defective c3 G strain and y w m f; dp ( ywmf) strain of Drosophila melanogaster. The results show that: (1) there exists a marked inequality of Minute frequencies in the progeny of the possible two interstrain matings (reciprocal crosses). A strikingly high yield of these mutations is recorded in the progeny from c3 G female × ywmf male crosses, but not in that from ywmf female × c3 G male; (2) no such inequality exists in the progeny of intrastrain matings. These findings possibly suggest that the combination of c3 G female and ywmf male may permit the operation of a system which causes a high production of Minute mutations in the F 1 hybrids. The details of such a system, however, remain to be elucidated.