Fluctuating asymmetry for specific bristle characters in Notch mutants of Drosophila melanogaster

Abstract

Asymmetry has been used as a measure of developmental stability for bilaterally symmetrical organisms. Most studies have failed to partition the genetic and environmental contributions to the asymmetry phenotype due to the limitations of the systems used or the shortcomings in experimental design. The Notch mutants of Drosophila melanogaster were used to study the genetic contribution to asymmetry for six different bristle characters. Asymmetry response was character specific for the mutants examined. For Nsp1, NCo, N264-47, Ax71d, Ax9B2, AxE2, 1(1)NB and nd2 significant asymmetry responses, relative to wildtype Canton-S, were observed for some characters. N60g11 and nd1 did not exhibit sign..