A new mutant controlling mitotic chromosome disjunction in Drosophila melanogaster

Abstract

A new mutant, mit (mitotic loss inducer), is described. The mutant is recessive and maternal in action, producing gynandromorphs and haplo 4 mosaics among the progeny of homozygous mit females. Mosaic loss of maternal or paternal chromosomes can occur. The probabilities of either maternal or paternal X chromosome loss are equal. Mit was mapped to approximately 57 on the standard X chromosome map. Using gyandromorphs generated by mit, a morphogenetic fate map, placing the origins of 40 cuticular structures on the blastoderm surface, was constructed. This fate map is consistent with embryological data and with the two other fate maps generated in different ways.