DROSOPHILA ENHANCER-TRAP TRANSPOSANTS - GENE-EXPRESSION IN CHEMOSENSORY AND MOTOR PATHWAYS AND IDENTIFICATION OF MUTANTS AFFECTED IN SMELL AND TASTE ABILITY

We have isolated about a thousand Drosophila P-element transposants that allow the in situ detection of genomic enhancer elements by a histochemical assay for beta-galactosidase activity. We summarize the beta-galactosidase staining patterns of over 200 such transposants in the adult. Our aim was to identify genes that are likely to be involved in the chemosensory and motor pathways of Drosophila. Based on beta-galactosidase expression patterns in the tissues of our interest, we have chosen some strains for further analysis. Behavioral tests on a subset of the transposants have, in addition, identified several strains defective in their chemosensory responses.