Intrachromosomal rearrangements mediated by hobo transposons in Drosophila melanogaster

The recurring intrachromosomal rearrangements observed in an unstable X chromosome, designated Uc, of Drosophila melanogaster are shown to be mediated by hobo transposable elements. Each of 29 chromosome rearrangement breakpoints in 16 gross aberrations detected in the Uc-derived X chromosomes had a hobo element. In one particular unstable X chromosome line selected for detailed studies, a hobo element was found in each of the five hot spots for rearrangements. Furthermore, hobo elements at deletion hot spots were found to lie in the same orientation, whereas those hobo elements at inversion hot spots were in the opposite orientation. The restriction maps of two phage lambda clones containing rearrangement breakpoints indicated that a hobo element was inserted exactly at the breakpoints. Pairing of hobo elements in the same chromosome followed by recombination between the paired hobo elements is suggested as the explanation for the intrachromosomal aberrations observed in the Uc X chromosomes. A clear qualitative difference among the hobo elements in their ability to participate in rearrangement formation was noted. It was also found that each of the 11 recessive lethal mutations mapped in the 6F1-2 doublet had a hobo element in the doublet, whereas none of the 16 independent revertants of the mutation had a hobo element in the site. This observation indicates that hobo movement is responsible for production and subsequent instability of recessive lethal mutations in the 6F region of the Uc X chromosomes.