Common questions

How many chromosomes does Drosophila melanogaster have?

How many chromosomes does Drosophila melanogaster have?

melanogaster contain eight chromosomes (2n=8) that can be seen most easily in squash preparations of the third instar larval CNS (see Fig. 1 ). The autosomal complement consists of two pairs of large metacentric chromosomes, designated 2 and 3, and a pair of tiny, spherical fourth chromosomes.

What chromosome is vestigial wings in Drosophila?

Flies with vestigial wings cannot fly: they have a defect in their “vestigial gene,” on the second chromosome. These flies have a recessive mutation. Of the pair of vestigial genes carried by each fly (one from each parent), both have to be altered to produce the abnormal wing shape.

What is a dumpy wing?

In 1918 [5] a fly was discovered with both shortened wings and with whorls of bristles and hairs on the thorax. This mutant was called dumpy, the first time this term was used.

Are dumpy wings recessive?

dp, dumpy: second chromosome recessive, wide wing with notch at the end.

Why do fruit flies only have 8 chromosomes?

If the diploid number of chromosomes in fruit fly somatic cells are eight, then the egg cell, which is a reproductive cell or gamete, would only have a haploid (n) number of chromosomes. Therefore, a fruit fly egg cell would only have a total of four chromosomes, three of which are autosomes.

What is strange about the chromosomes of Drosophila compared to most other eukaryotic chromosomes?

At the extreme end of the chromosome is the cap. This structure comprises several proteins that act in concert. Depending on the species, some of these proteins may recognize specific features of the terminal DNA sequence (9). A second region is defined by the presence of the terminal DNA sequence outside of the cap.

How are vestigial wings inherited in fruit flies?

In fruit flies, the dominant V allele produces long wings, whereas the recessive v allele produces vestigial wings. Thus, flies with the genotype VV or Vv will have long wings, and flies with the genotype vv will have vestigial wings.

What is the vestigial gene in Drosophila?

The vestigial (vg) gene of Drosophila melanogaster encodes a nuclear protein which plays a key role in wing formation but is also involved in other developmental processes. These results are compatible with a role for vestigial in modulating cell proliferation.

What is a dumpy?

Definition of dumpy 1 : being short and thick in build : squat. 2 : shabby, dingy. Other Words from dumpy Synonyms Example Sentences Learn More About dumpy.

What is a dumpy body?

In contrast, dumpy (dpy) mutants exhibit a disproportionate reduction in body size, often with a thicker middle body and a shorter length. However, due to the differential gene expression in different body parts, there is a significant challenge in analyzing body size and shape to determine the phenotype accurately.

How many different alleles are seen in wings series of Drosophila?

Drosophila, are diploid, with two sets of chromosomes and therefore two alleles at each autosomal locus. If both alleles are identical, the individual is a homozygote and is described as homozygous. If the alleles differ from each other, the individual is a heterozygote and is described as heterozygous.

How many chromosomes are there in each stage of mitosis in Drosophila?

With the exception of sex cells (eggs and sperm), there will be the same number of chromosomes in all cells of the body. If fruit fly skin cells have eight chromosomes then wing cells will also have eight chromosomes. These body (somatic) cells undergo mitosis. Fruit fly somatic cells have eight chromosomes.

What is the dumpy gene in Drosophila?

The Drosophila dumpy gene consists of seventy eight coding exons and encodes a huge extracellular matrix protein containing large numbers of epidermal growth factor-like (EGF) modules and a novel module called dumpy (DPY). A molecular analysis of forty five mutations in the dumpy gene of Drosophila melanogaster was carried out.

How many coding exons are in the dumpy gene?

A molecular analysis of mutations at the complex dumpy locus in Drosophila melanogaster. The Drosophila dumpy gene consists of seventy eight coding exons and encodes a huge extracellular matrix protein containing large numbers of epidermal growth factor-like (EGF) modules and a novel module called dumpy (DPY).

When did Drosophila melanogaster become a model organism?

Drosophila melanogaster, in the subgenus Sophophora, was first made famous at the beginning of the 20th century when the Morgan lab at Columbia University confirmed the chromosome theory of inheritance ( Morgan 1910; Bridges 1916 ). Now studied by >1800 labs around the world, D. melanogaster is a powerful model organism.

How does the DHPLC gene affect wing shape?

Mutations in this gene affect three phenotypes: wing shape, thoracic cuticular defects, and lethality. Most of the mutations were chemically induced in a single dumpy allele and were analyzed using a nuclease that cleaves single base pair mismatches in reannealed duplexes followed by dHPLC.

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Ruth Doyle