Behavioral Mutants of DROSOPHILA MELANOGASTER. II. Behavioral Analysis and Focus Mapping

Abstract

Several simple tests have been applied to study the behavior and performance of mutants of Drosophila melanogaster isolated in the preceding study (Homyk and Sheppard 1977). The tests showed that many mutants have specific behavioral abnormalities and that most mutants can easily be distinguished from an Oregon-R control on the basis of their behavioral phenotypes. Mutants representing six genes hop poorly and are unable to initiate wing oscillation when tethered. Mutations in four genes reduce the level of spontaneous motor activity of flies and increase the excitability threshold necessary to induce high activity motor functions such as running and flying. The latter mutants are referred to as hypoactive. Another class, stress-sensitive, including mutations in three genes, are reversibly paralyzed by mechanical shock. Mosaic analyses suggest that six mutations affect muscular tissue and two others affect neural tissue. It is also shown that tan mutants fail to retract their forelegs during flight and that the focus responsible for this behavioral phenotype is the compound eye. Specific behavioral abnormalities of several mutants are discussed in conjunction with previous studies from many laboratories concerning the participation of neural, sensory and muscular elements producing behavior in normal (nonmutant) insects. Such considerations are an essential prelude to anatomical and physiological studies of the mutants in Drosophila.