MOLECULAR-ORGANIZATION OF THE ALCOHOL-DEHYDROGENASE LOCI OF DROSOPHILA-GRIMSHAWI AND DROSOPHILA-HAWAIIENSIS

To determine sequences involved in conserved and species-specific aspe cts of alcohol dehydrogenase (Adh) gene expression in Hawaiian Drosoph ila, a 3644-base pair (bp) region containing the D. grimshawi gene and the homologous 3335-bp region containing the D. hawaiiensis Adh gene were sequenced. These genes have the two-promoter and exon-intron stru cture seen for many Drosophila Adh genes. Analysis of putative and kno wn regulatory sequences of the D. grimshawi and D. hawaiiensis genes i n comparison to those of D. affinidisjuncta (the only other Hawaiian s pecies for which the promoter organization is known) highlighted eleme nts likely to be involved in conserved aspects of Adh gene expression as well as sequences that may account for species-specific differences in tissue-specific expression. Sequence comparisons, in the context o f regulatory roles previously assigned to particular gene fragments, i ndicated that multiple insertions and deletions in the promoter region s are responsible for differences in tissue-specific regulation displa yed by these genes.