Molecular studies on the 5S RNA genes of Drosophila melanogaster - I. Production of chromosomes containing duplications and deficiencies

Aneuploids have been produced for the 5S RNA genes of Drosophila melanogaster by three different methods. Tandem duplications were produced at a frequency of about 0.05% by irradiation of oocytes and selection for "anti-Minutes." Other Minute suppressors were recovered and localized to the region between nuand Puon the genetic map. One, Su, reduced crossing-over as a heterozygote and is tentatively identified as a duplication. Deficiencies for the 5S RNA genes were also produced, which showed no dominant phenotype. A Minute deficiency was localized to region 56F-57A on the salivary map and was shown to be allelic to M(2) 173. The "anti-Minute" method of selection should be useful for producing tandem duplications throughout the genome. © 1973 Springer-Verlag.