Abstract
DURING the past few years a large number of protein polymorphisms have been described in different animal groups. This development is largely due to improvements in the techniques for protein separation, such as the method of starch-gel electrophoresis1. The combination of starch-gel electrophoresis with different enzyme staining methods has made it possible to examine also electro-phoretic variations in various enzymes2,3. In Drosophila melanogaster two different protein polymorphisms have recently been described4,5. One of them concerns a genetic variation in a particular esterase from adult flies4. This communication reports a genetic phosphatase variation found in larvae of D. melanogaster. Single larvæ of D. melanogaster were homogenized in a small drop of distilled water and this homogenate was absorbed in a small piece of filter paper (about 4 mm × 6 mm). These protein samples were examined by means of starch-gel electrophoresis. Two different types of discontinuous tris buffer systems were used6,7. After electrophoresis the gels were sliced and stained for phosphatase activity using α-naphthyl phosphate and fast blue RR salt in the gel buffer (pH 8.6).
Similar content being viewed by others
Article PDF
References
Smithies, O., Biochem. J., 61, 629 (1955).
Hunter, R. L., and Markert, C. L., Science, 125, 1924 (1957).
Markert, C. L., and Møller, F., Proc. U.S. Nat. Acad. Sci., 45, 753 (1959).
Wright, T. R. F., Genetics, 48, 787 (1963).
Hubby, J. L., Genetics, 48, 871 (1963).
Poulik, M. D., Nature, 180, 1477 (1957).
Beckman, L., and Holmgren, G., Acta Genet., 11, 106 (1961).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
BECKMAN, L., JOHNSON, F. Genetic Variations of Phosphatases in Larvæ of Drosophila melanogaster. Nature 201, 321 (1964). https://doi.org/10.1038/201321a0
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/201321a0
This article is cited by
-
Biochemical and genetic studies on alkaline phosphatase ofCeratitis capitata
Biochemical Genetics (1993)
-
Biochemical and genetic studies on alkaline phosphatase ofCeratitis capitata
Biochemical Genetics (1993)
-
Isoenzyme frequencies in long-term selection lines of Drosophila melanogaster I. Isoenzyme frequencies of the esterases (Est) and larval alkaline phosphatases (Aph) in temperature selected lines
Theoretical and Applied Genetics (1975)
-
Genetic Variation of Alcohol Dehydrogenase in Drosophila melanogaster
Nature (1964)
Comments
By submitting a comment you agree to abide by our Terms and Community Guidelines. If you find something abusive or that does not comply with our terms or guidelines please flag it as inappropriate.