Dosage-Dependent Modifiers of Homoeotic Mutations in Drosophila melanogaster

The determination of segment identity in Drosophila melanogaster appears to be controlled by a small number of genes. In order to identity new components in the process, we have systematically screened the autosomal complement for loci that show a dosage-dependent interaction with mutations in previously characterized genes thought to be important in the determination of segment identity. The dominant homoeotic phenotype of mutations at four loci involved in thoracic leg determination (Pc, Pcl, Antp and Scr) were quantitated in flies bearing a series of synthetic duplications covering more than 99% of the autosomal complement. Twelve regions were identified that when present in three wild-type copies strongly enhanced or suppressed the phenotype of mutations at one or more of the four homoeotic loci examined. The effects of five of these regions appear to correspond to previously described homoeotic loci; the effects of the remaining seven appear to identify new loci involved in the determination of segment identity.