Kongsuwan K, Yu Q, Vincent A, Frisardi M C, Rosbash M, Lengyel J A, Merriam J
Nature. 1985;317(6037):555-8. doi: 10.1038/317555a0.
Minute genes have long constituted a special problem in Drosophila genetics. For at least 50-60 different genes scattered throughout the genome, dominant mutations and/or deficiencies have been recognized which result in a common phenotype consisting of short thin bristles, slow development, reduced viability, rough eyes, small body size and etched tergites. Schultz proposed that the Minute loci encode similar but separate functions involved in growth and division common to all cells. Atwood and Ritossa suggested that Minute loci encode components of the protein synthetic machinery, specifically the transfer RNA genes; this now seems unlikely on grounds of both mapping and mutability studies. More recently, we and others suggested that the Minute loci are ribosomal protein genes. We report here that transformation with a cloned 3.3-kilobase (kb) region containing the gene encoding the large subunit ribosomal protein 49 (rp49) suppresses the dominant phenotypes of Minute (3)99D, a previously undescribed Minute associated with a chromosomal deficiency of the 99D interval. This activity is specific to the 99D Minute as it does not suppress other Minute loci elsewhere in the genome. This result provides direct evidence that the Minute locus at the 99D interval encodes the ribosomal protein 49.
微小基因长期以来一直是果蝇遗传学中的一个特殊问题。在整个基因组中至少有50 - 60个不同的基因，人们已经识别出显性突变和/或缺失，这些会导致一种共同的表型，包括短而细的刚毛、发育缓慢、活力降低、眼睛粗糙、体型小以及背板蚀刻。舒尔茨提出微小基因座编码参与所有细胞共同生长和分裂的相似但独立的功能。阿特伍德和里托萨提出微小基因座编码蛋白质合成机制的成分，特别是转运RNA基因；基于定位和突变研究，现在看来这似乎不太可能。最近，我们和其他人提出微小基因座是核糖体蛋白基因。我们在此报告，用一个包含编码大亚基核糖体蛋白49（rp49）的基因的3.3千碱基（kb）克隆区域进行转化，可抑制微小（3）99D的显性表型，微小（3）99D是一种先前未描述的与99D区间染色体缺失相关的微小基因。这种活性对99D微小基因是特异的，因为它不抑制基因组其他位置的其他微小基因座。这一结果提供了直接证据，表明99D区间的微小基因座编码核糖体蛋白49。
