[A new system of prolonged genetic instability induced by N-ethyl-N-nitrosourea in Drosophila melanogaster]

A novel system of prolonged genetic instability induced by N-ethyl-N-nitrosourea in D. melanogaster was obtained. The instability was associated with the appearance of new mutations in loci yellow, scute, white, cut, singed, miniature, vermilion and extended for 40 generations. Some mutants of locus cut were obtained by the method of Southern blot-hybridisation. The reversion ct+ appeared as a result of excision of gypsy element. The mutation ctpN34 was localized in the second complementation group of cut locus and was the consequent of deletions of gypsy element and small DNA fragment and an insertion of a DNA sequence 7.8 kb in size.