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Biological Sciences: Frequencies of Amylase Variants in Drosophila melanogaster

Nature volume 238, pages 453–454 (1972)Cite this article

Abstract

THE selective significance of enzyme polymorphisms remains unsettled1,2. The frequencies of some enzyme variants are correlated with environmental factors3, which might cause frequency changes by acting on closely linked genes. We therefore studied amylase variants in Drosophila melanogaster. A major function of amylase in Drosophila is in the digestion of starch. Genetical and physiological investigations on amylase variants were made by Kikkawa4, Doane5,6 and Bahn7. Using electrophoresis they found five main bands of amylase activity. In homozygous flies one or two bands are present, caused by two closely linked genes on the second chromosome (2–78.1), presumably originated by duplication. Amylase activity of the variants differs on the same food medium, and also depends on the composition of the food6. Banding patterns in larvae and in adult flies are identical (ref. 6, and A. J. W. H., unpublished work).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Genetisch Institute, Rijksuniversiteit, Utrecht

    G. DE JONG, A. J. W. HOORN, G. E. W. THÖRIG & W. SCHARLOO

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  1. G. DE JONG
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  2. A. J. W. HOORN
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  3. G. E. W. THÖRIG
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  4. W. SCHARLOO
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DE JONG, G., HOORN, A., THÖRIG, G. et al. Biological Sciences: Frequencies of Amylase Variants in Drosophila melanogaster. Nature 238, 453–454 (1972). https://doi.org/10.1038/238453a0

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