Biomaterial Database

Transport defects as the physiological basis for eye color mutants of Drosophila melanogaster. 1975

D T Sullivan, and M C Sullivan

Kynurenine-H3 transport and conversion to 3-hydroxykynurenine were studied in organ culture using the Malpighian tubules and developing eyes from wild type and the eye color mutants w, st, ltd, ca, and cn of Drosophila melanogaster. Malpighian tubules from wild type have the ability to concentrate kynurenine and convert it to 3-hydroxykynurenine. The tubules from w, st, ltd, and ca are deficient in the ability to transport kynurenine, as are the eyes of the mutants w, st, and ltd. This defect in kynurenine transport provides a physiological explanation for the phenotypic properties of the mutants. The relationship of these measurements to previous observations on these eye color mutants is discussed and the transport defect hypothesis is consistently supported. We have concluded that several of the eye color mutants in Drosophila are transport mutants.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D007444	Inulin	A starch found in the tubers and roots of many plants. Since it is hydrolyzable to FRUCTOSE, it is classified as a fructosan. It has been used in physiologic investigation for determination of the rate of glomerular function.
D007737	Kynurenine	A metabolite of the essential amino acid tryptophan metabolized via the tryptophan-kynurenine pathway.
D007814	Larva	Wormlike or grublike stage, following the egg in the life cycle of insects, worms, and other metamorphosing animals.	Maggots,Tadpoles,Larvae,Maggot,Tadpole
D008317	Malpighian Tubules	Slender tubular or hairlike excretory structures found in insects. They emerge from the alimentary canal between the mesenteron (midgut) and the proctodeum (hindgut).	Malpighian Tubule,Tubule, Malpighian,Tubules, Malpighian
D009154	Mutation	Any detectable and heritable change in the genetic material that causes a change in the GENOTYPE and which is transmitted to daughter cells and to succeeding generations.	Mutations
D004331	Drosophila melanogaster	A species of fruit fly frequently used in genetics because of the large size of its chromosomes.	D. melanogaster,Drosophila melanogasters,melanogaster, Drosophila
D005127	Eye Color	Color of the iris.	Color, Eye,Colors, Eye,Eye Colors
D005838	Genotype	The genetic constitution of the individual, comprising the ALLELES present at each GENETIC LOCUS.	Genogroup,Genogroups,Genotypes
D000818	Animals	Unicellular or multicellular, heterotrophic organisms, that have sensation and the power of voluntary movement. Under the older five kingdom paradigm, Animalia was one of the kingdoms. Under the modern three domain model, Animalia represents one of the many groups in the domain EUKARYOTA.	Animal,Metazoa,Animalia