Genes involved in the activation of the bithorax complex of Drosophila

Abstract

We have studied the genetic properties and developmental effects of several mutations, in eight different loci, which alter the specification of embryonic segments. All of the changes are related to the transformations caused by mutants of the bithorax complex. Several properties: the interactions of these mutants with different mutants of the bithorax complex, the interactions between themselves, the effect of changing dosages of their wildtype alleles and their response to ether induction of phenocopies permit one to distinguish between those mutations which affect activation of the bithorax genes in early embryogenesis and those which affect expression of the bithorax genes during development. This paper deals mainly with the Rg-bx locus and its interactions with other loci which affect segment specification. In particular two loci show genetic and developmental characteristics which seem to conform to those expected for a repressor coding gene (Polycomb) and for an inducer synthesizing gene (Rg-bx) active in a negative control system of the genes in the bithorax complex. A model for the interaction of the wildtype products of these genes to determine the segmental characteristics of both the thorax and abdomen is proposed.