Expression of homeotic mutations in duplicated and regenerated antennae of Drosophila melanogaster.

Three homeotic mutants, aristapedia (ssa and ssa-UCl) and Nasobemia (Ns) which involve antenna-leg transformations were analyzed with respect to their time of expression. In particular we studied the question of whether these mutations are expressed when the mutant cells pass through additional cell divisions in culture. Mutant antennal discs were cultured in vivo and allowed to duplicate the antennal anlage. Furthermore, regeneration of the mutant antennal anlage was obtained by culturing eye discs and a particular fragment of the eye disc. Both duplicated and regenerated antennae showed at least a partial transformation into leg structures which indicates that the mutant gene is expressed during proliferation in culture.