G. Gibson et Ds. Hogness, EFFECT OF POLYMORPHISM IN THE DROSOPHILA REGULATORY GENE ULTRABITHORAX ON HOMEOTIC STABILITY, Science, 271(5246), 1996, pp. 200-203
Development is buffered against unpredictable environmental and geneti
c effects. Here, a molecular genetic analysis of one type of developme
ntal homeostasis, the establishment of thoracic segmental identity und
er the control of the Ultrabithorax (Ubx) gene in Drosophila melanogas
ter, is presented. Flies were artificially selected for differential s
ensitivity to the induction of bithorax phenocopies by ether vapor, Th
e experiments demonstrated that increased sensitivity to ether correla
ted with a loss of expression of UBX in the third thoracic imaginal di
scs and that a significant proportion of the genetic variation for tra
nscriptional stability can be attributed to polymorphism in the Ubx ge
ne.