The genetics of a small autosomal region of Drosophila melanogaster containing the structural gene for alcohol dehydrogenase. II. Lethal mutations in the region.

Forty-seven lethal mutations and alleles of nine visible loci (including alcohol dehydrogenase) have been mapped by both deficiency mapping and, in most cases, by recombination mapping to a small region (34D-35C) of chromosome arm 2L of Drosophila melanogaster. The lethals fall into approximately 21 complementation groups, and we estimate that the total number of lethal plus visible complementation groups within the 34-band deficiency, Df(2L)64j, is approximately 34, a remarkable numerical coincidence. The possible genetic significance of this coincidence is discussed. Lethals mapping close to the structural gene for alcohol dehydrogenase, both distally and proximally, have been identified and will be used for the construction of selective crosses for the study of exchange within this locus. Despite many abnormal cytological features (e.g., ectopic pairing, weak points) region 35 of chromosome arm 2L does not display any unusual genetic features; indeed, in terms of the amount of recombination per band and the average map distance between adjacent loci, this region is similar to that between zeste and white on the X chromosome.