Molecular cloning of Notch, a locus affecting neurogenesis in Drosophila melanogaster

The Notch locus is one of the best characterized loci in Drosophila melanogaster in terms of its genetic structure and developmental effects. Mutations in this locus profoundly affect the differentiation of the early embryo. Using an inversion involving the Notch locus and previously cloned sequences, we have isolated chromosomal segments from the Notch region (3C7) encompassing 80 kilobases (kb) of DNA. Based on comparison between mutant and wild-type DNA, we have positioned cloned sequences within the Notch genetic map; furthermore, we have defined a region of approximately 40 kb within which the structural lesions correlating with all Notch alleles mapped to date appear to reside. We have examined the transcriptional activity of the cloned sequences during ontogeny and find a single size class of poly(A)+ RNA, 10.5 kb long, that is homologous to sequences within this 40-kb region. We conclude that DNA sequences belonging to the Notch locus have been cloned and that the 10.5-kb poly(A)+ RNA is essential for wild-type Notch function. We discuss these structural and transcriptional data in light of the existing genetic and developmental characterization of the Notch locus.