Fine genetic structure of the 2D3-2F5 region of the X-chromosome of Drosophila melanogaster.

97 lethal and semilethal mutations were induced by ethyl methanesulfonate, nitrosomethyl urea and gamma-irradiation in the 2D3-F5 region of the X-chromosome of D. melanogaster. Approximately 1 per cent of the tested X-chromosomes carried a lethal in the 2D3-2F5 region. The mutation frequencies per band or DNA content in the region and the whole X-chromosome are equal. Complementation analysis revealed at least 10 functionally independent essential loci in this region including about 10 bands. The data presented in this study support the one band--one gene hypothesis. The Pgd locus coding for 6-phosphogluconate dehydrogenase (6PGD) is mapped in the 2D3 (OR 2D4) band. Isolation of 11 lethal or semilethal point mutations with null or reduced 6PGD activity shows that the Pgd locus is a vital one.