Structural and functional analysis of the scute locus in Drosophila melanogaster

The functional expression of 12 scute alleles in homozygotes and compounds of Drosophila melanogaster at 14°, 22°, 30°C is analysed. Based on the data obtained, linear maps for bristles and mutations are built. The basic features of the maps, clustering and polarity, are invariable with respect to temperature, scute gene dosage and cross direction. In addition local dominance of the norm over bristle reduction was produced by the scute mutation; different types of complementation reactions were established for each bristle. The gene scute is treated as an operon-like system, composed of 3-4 cistrons with each controlling the formation of bristles on a particular region of the fly's body. This model argues well with the structure of maps constructed and implies a post-translational level of initial events of bristle-formation process.