Mitotic chromosome organization of neuroblastomas induced by the recessive oncogene Lethal(2)giant larvae4 of Drosophila melanogaster.

Mitotic chromosomes in neuroblastomas of Drosophila melanogaster homozygous for the recessive oncogene Lethal(2)giant larvae4 were studied at different larval ages. There was a progressive increase in mitotically active cells with increasing period of tumorous growth. The karyotype of the neuroblastomas generally remained stable. The metaphase chromosomes of the neuroblastomas, however, showed widely varying levels of condensation ranging from highly condensed to highly extended. Staining with the AT-specific fluorescent dye Hoechst 33258 showed extensive resolution of AT-rich heterochromatic blocks in the third and Y chromosomes suggesting their lack of coalescence in the extended metaphases of neuroblastomas. Our results suggest aberrant condensation as a major chromosomal lesion in Drosophila neuroblastomas.