Development of eye colors in Drosophila: some properties of the hormones concerned
- Creators
- Tatum, Edward L.
- Beadle, G. W.
Abstract
The substance inducing the production of pigment in the eyes of vermilion brown mutants of Drosophila melanogaster has been shown to be a relatively stable chemical entity possessing true hormone-like activity. A simple method for obtaining hormone solutions has been developed involving extraction of dried wild type Drosophila pupae with ethyl alcohol and water. A logarithmic proportionality has been found to exist between the amount of hormone and the induced eye color. This relationship provides a simple method for the quantitative determination of hormone concentration in given extracts. Larvae and pupae of D. melanogaster contain an intracellular enzyme which inactivates the hormone in the presence of molecular oxygen. The hormone is not oxidized under ordinary conditions with either molecular oxygen or hydrogen peroxide. The hormone has been found to be an amphoteric compound with both acidic and basic groups and with a molecular weight between 400 and 600. The solubility and precipitation reactions of the hormone suggest its amino acid-like nature. However, the instability to heat, acid, and alkali, and its rather restricted occurrence indicate a rather complex specific structure.
Additional Information
© 1938 by The Rockefeller University Press. (Accepted for publication, July 25, 1938) This work has been supported in part by funds granted by The Rockefeller Foundation. The authors are indebted to Mr. C.W. Clancy for assistance in carrying out the experiments on which this paper is based, and to Dr. C.B. van Niel for many helpful suggestions and criticisms.Attached Files
Published - TATjgp38.pdf
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Additional details
- PMCID
- PMC2141983
- Eprint ID
- 10590
- Resolver ID
- CaltechAUTHORS:TATjgp38
- Rockefeller Foundation
- Created
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2008-05-20Created from EPrint's datestamp field
- Updated
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2021-11-08Created from EPrint's last_modified field