Biochemical and molecular analysis of naturally occurring Adh variants in Drosophila melanogaster

The results of a detailed analysis of the biochemical and molecular basis of alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) activity variation existing among six naturally occurring and one ethyl methanesulfonate-induced Adh variant strain of Drosophila melanogaster are presented. Significant specific activity differences exist among the strains but the majority of ADH activity variation can be accounted for by differences in levels of ADH protein. These protein level differences can, in turn, be accounted for by ADH synthesis rate variation, which positively correlates with in vivo levels of cytoplasmic Adh mRNA. The functional variability is correlated with known structural variation in and around the area of the Adh gene.