Components of positional information in the developing wing margin of the Lyra mutant of Drosophila.

A number of parameters characteristic of the wing margin precursor in imaginal discs of Drosophila are known: the zone of non-proliferating cells or ZNC (O'Brochta and Bryant 1985), aldehyde oxidase (AO) and other enzyme staining patterns (Sprey et al. 1982), E1C antigen localization in a narrow band along the margin (Piovant and Lena 1988). To test our hypothesis that such parameters, and others, act in concert to determine margin identity and the positional information that specifies the bristles and hairs appropriate to the anterior, posterior and distal margins, we have examined these parameters in the dominant mutant Lyra, in which much of the anterior and posterior margins is missing.

The determination of aldehyde oxidase activity patterns in the wing discs of Drosophila melanogaster : Absence of field size influence during the third larval instar.

The pattern of aldehyde oxidase (AO) activity was determined in wing discs of Drosophila melanogaster larvae homozygous for the mutants apt , Beaded, and vestigial (vg) in order to determine if reduction in field size in the pouch could be related to alterations of the wild-type AO pattern, as suggested by the Kauffman (1978) hypothesis. The pattern in wild-type discs was resolved into six areas for comparison with mutant discs. vg discs developed at 25° C showed restriction of the pattern into a small area on the anterior side of the disc, and comparison of vg and wild-type prepupal wings allowed positive identification of the AO pattern elements which remained.

Enzyme distribution patterns in the imaginal wing disc ofDrosophila melanogaster and other diptera : A subdivision of compartments into territories.

Analysis of the development of the aldehyde oxidase (AO) pattern in the wing pouch ofD. melanogaster showed that the extension of areas with AO activity occurs in steps. This indicates that the activation of this enzyme is regulated in groups of cells.

Aldehyde oxidase distribution in the imaginal discs of some diptera.

In the imaginal discs ofMusca domestica, Drosophila melanogaster, D. simulans, D. hydei, andZaprionus spec.