Mechanism of the Origin of X-Ray Induced Notch Deficiencies in Drosophila Melanogaster

Abstract

Data on the frequency of deficiencies of various lengths involving the Notch locus are reported. Calculations show that deficiencies which include more than about 15 bands can be accounted for as being analogous to the large size chromosomal aberrations, i.e., they are caused by 2 breaks induced by 2 independent events. Very likely most of the short deficiencies, including all the spontaneous ones, arise as a result of a different process, possibly a "single-event" process, having a radius of action of about 600 A.