THE WHITE GENE OF CERATITIS-CAPITATA - A PHENOTYPIC MARKER FOR GERMLINE TRANSFORMATION

Reliable germline transformation is required for molecular studies and ultimately for genetic control of economically important insects, suc h as the Mediterranean fruit fly (medfly) Ceratitis capitata. A prereq uisite for the establishment and maintenance of transformant lines is selectable or phenotypically dominant markers. To this end, a compleme ntary DNA clone derived from the medfly white gene was isolated, which showed substantial similarity to white genes in Drosophila melanogast er and other Diptera. It is correlated with a spontaneous mutation cau sing white eyes in the medfly and can be used to restore partial eye c olor in transgenic Drosophila carrying a null mutation in the endogeno us white gene.