THE USE OF TRANSPOSABLE P-ELEMENTS OF DROSOPHILA-MELANOGASTER FOR INTRODUCTORY GENETICS LABORATORY COURSES

Laboratories in introductory genetics courses often use Drosophila mel anogaster as a tool for the students to understand how genes are trans mitted and mapped. We demonstrate three advantages of using P-element containing inserts with the wildtype alleles of the genes to be mapped . First, inserts can be positioned at many places in the genome with r elative ease; second, stocks can be chosen which have excellent viabil ity; and third, inserts can be selected for precision in mapping with regard to marker genes. The results of a preliminary test with a begin ning genetics laboratory are presented. The inserts exhibit excellent Mendelian ratios in F-2 and backcross progeny and were reproducibly ma pped by different student groups.