The selection for mutants in Drosophila melanogaster hypersensitive to α-methyl dopa, a dopa decarboxylase inhibitor

1974 ◽  
Vol 130 (2) ◽  
pp. 127-141 ◽  
Author(s):  
John C. Sparrow ◽  
Theodore R. F. Wright
Genetics ◽  
1976 ◽  
Vol 84 (2) ◽  
pp. 287-310
Author(s):  
Theodore R F Wright ◽  
Glenn C Bewley ◽  
Allen F Sherald

ABSTRACT Of 84 lethals isolated over the dopa decarboxylase (DDC) deficiency Df(2L)50, 8 have been identified as DDC-deficient alleles on the basis of their effect on DDC activity when heterozygous over the CyO balancer chromosome with activities ranging from 28% to 53% of controls. Some of the Ddc-deficient alleles exhibit intracistronic complementation. Most of the complementing pairs of alleles are much reduced in viability, e.g. < 5% of expected, and express a common syndrome of mutant phenes which can reasonably be inferred to derive from inadequately sclerotinized cuticle. Individuals heterozygous for the noncomplementing allele, Ddcn7, over the 12-band DDC deficiency, Df(2L)130, die at the end of embryogenesis as unhatched larvae with unpigmented mouth parts. The Ddc alleles and the l(2)amd α-methyl dopa (αMD) hypersensitive alleles are both located within the 11 band region 37B10-C7. The l(2)amd locus is immediately to the right of hk(2-53.9).Ddc has been mapped within 0.004 Map Units to the right of l(2)amd with a maximum estimated recombination frequency of 0.01%. None of the Ddc/CyO strains are sensitive to the dietary administration of α-methyl dopa (αMD), and complementation occurs between the Ddc deficient alleles and the l(2)amd alleles both on the basis of viability and DDC activity. No effect on DDC by the amd alleles has been found to date. Even in the complementing heterozygote, amdH1/amdH89, the level of activity, thermostability, and in vitro αMD inhibition of DDC remains unaffected. Although no biochemical phene has yet been established for the αMD hypersensitive amd alleles, it seems likely that the two groups of mutants are functionally related.


Genetics ◽  
1976 ◽  
Vol 84 (2) ◽  
pp. 267-285
Author(s):  
Theodore R F Wright ◽  
Ross B Hodgetts ◽  
Allen F Sherald

ABSTRACT A detailed cytogenetic investigation of 16 overlapping deficiencies in the 36C-40A region on the left arm of the second chromosome (2L) in Drosophila melanogaster is reported. These deficiencies permit a localization of both the dopa-decarboxylase-dosage-sensitive region and the α-methyl-dopa-hypersensitive locus, l(2)amd, to the same region, 37B10-37C7.


1991 ◽  
Vol 29 (2) ◽  
pp. 7-8

Bromocriptine, lysuride (formerly lisuride, Revanil – Roche) and pergolide (not yet marketed in the UK) are dopamine agonists developed for use in the treatment of patients with Parkinson’s disease. Combination of a dopamine agonist with levodopa plus a dopa-decarboxylase inhibitor (‘co-dieldopa’)* may have advantages at all stages of the disease. The aim of combined co-dieldopa + agonist treatment is to limit some of the problems with prolonged co-dieldopa use alone; especially fluctuations in motor disability.1 It is still not clear how the three agonists compare with each other for therapeutic efficacy, duration of action, and side effects, nor how they are best combined with co-dieldopa.


Gerontology ◽  
1995 ◽  
Vol 41 (2) ◽  
pp. 69-76 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robert Arking ◽  
Steven Buck

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