P-lacW insertional mutagenesis on the second chromosome of Drosophila melanogaster: isolation of lethals with different overgrowth phenotypes

Abstract

A single P-element insertional mutagenesis experiment was carried out for the second chromosome of Drosophila melanogaster using the P-lacW transposon. Out of 15,475 insertions on the second chromosome, 2,308 lethal and 403 semilethal mutants (altogether 2,711) were recovered. After eliminating clusters, 72% of the mutants represent independent insertions. Some of the mutants with larval, prepupal or pupal lethal phases have a prolonged larval period and show gradual overgrowth of the imaginal discs, brain and/or the hematopoietic organs (lymph glands). In this paper, 16 overgrowth mutants are described. As revealed by in situ hybridization, none of the mutations corresponds to any of the previously known overgrowth mutations on the second chromosome.