A purine and pyrimidine requiring mutant ofDrosophila melanogaster

Abstract

SUMMARY: The E.M.S.-induced auxotrophic mutant1308ofDrosophilais located between 13·7 and 21·0 on chromosome 1. Survival of larvae is possible if whole RNA is provided in the diet, and this is shown to be a requirement for a source of both purines and pyrimidines. A proportion of larvae will grow on pyrimidine nucleosides alone. Tests for utilization of bases and of precursors suggest that1308is a double mutant, and not a single mutation preventing the synthesis of a common precursor of purines and pyrimidines.