Formaldehyde mutagenesis in Drosophila. Molecular analysis of ADH-negative mutants.

The Adh gene from 4 formaldehyde-generated ADH-negative mutants of Drosophila melanogaster has been cloned and sequenced. All 4 mutants bear small deletions within the gene, ranging in size from 6 to 34 base pairs. 2 of the deletions lie within a 65-base pair intervening sequence and are accompanied by other aberrations. The other two are within the protein coding region of the gene. Some of these aberrations may be explained by a slipped mispairing mechanism.