The signal transduction pathway controlling determination of the identity of the R7 photoreceptor in the Drosophila eye is shown to harbor high levels of naturally occurring genetic variation. The number of ectopic R7 cells induced by the dosage-sensitive Sev(S11.1) transgene that encodes a mildly activated form of the Sevenless tyrosine kinase receptor is highly sensitive to the wild-type genetic background. Phenotypes range from complete suppression to massive overproduction of photoreceptors that exceeds reported effects of known single gene modifiers, and are to some extent sex-dependent. Signaling from the dominant gain-of-function Drosophila Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor (DER-Ellipse) mutations is also sensitive to the genetic backgrounds, but there is no correlation with the effects on Sev(S11.1). This implies that different genes and/or alleles modify the two activated receptor genotypes. The evolutionary significance of the existence of high levels of genetic variation in the absence of normal phenotypic variation is discussed.

Item Type:	Refereed Article
Research Division:	Biological Sciences
Research Group:	Genetics
Research Field:	Gene mapping
Objective Division:	Expanding Knowledge
Objective Group:	Expanding knowledge
Objective Field:	Expanding knowledge in the biological sciences
UTAS Author:	Gasperini, RJ (Dr Rob Gasperini)
ID Code:	57739
Year Published:	1998
Web of Science® Times Cited:	56
Deposited By:	Anatomy and Physiology
Deposited On:	2009-08-12
Last Modified:	2011-10-03
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