Role of AWD/nucleoside diphosphate kinase in Drosophila development

The abnormal wing discs gene of Drosophila encodes a soluble protein with n ucleoside diphosphate kinase activity. This enzymic activity is necessary f or the biological function of the abnormal wing discs gene product. Complet e loss of function, i.e,, null, mutations cause lethality after the larval stage. Most larval organs in such null mutant larvae appear to be normal, b ut the imaginal discs are small and incapable of normal differentiation. Ki ller-of-prune is a neomorphic mutation in the abnormal wing discs gene. It causes dominant lethality in larvae that lack prune gene activity. The Kill er-of-prune mutant protein may have altered substrate specificity. Null mut ant larvae have a low level of nucleoside diphosphate kinase activity. This suggests that there may be additional Drosophila genes that encode protein s with nucleoside dipthosphate kinase activity. Candidate genes have been f ound in the Drosophila genome.