Effect of ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid on the synapsis of polytene chromosome homologs and "supplementary nucleolus formation"]

On being added to the food of larvae of Drosophila melanogaster of various age, EDTA, within a broad scale of concentrations, does not change the frequency of asynapsis of polytene homologues. The "many nucleoli" phenomenon was observed both after EDTA treatment and without it. The frequency of this phenomenon is thought to depend on the conditions of slide preparation. Therefore many nucleoli may be probably fragments of general nucleoli.