Df(2L)A400/
Df(2L)b88h49 animals are viable as larvae and adults, with no morphological or behavioural abnormalities easily detected during routine culture.
Df(2L)A400/
Df(2L)b88h49 larvae do not have defects in multiple dendritic neuron morphology. The larvae are normal in their response to external touch with an eyelash or single hair and show a normal response to four different odours in an olfactory taxis assay. The larvae are indistinguishable from wild type in their ability to respond to a hot probe (pain assay).
Df(2L)A400/
Df(2L)b88h49 third instar larvae move with a decreased number of stops or turns compared to wild-type larvae, resulting in an extended straight or slightly arching contour trail and a total contour trail area nearly twice that of wild-type larvae. Crawling speed during a linear locomotion burst is increased in the mutant larvae compared to wild type. The mutant larvae complete a full contraction wave cycle in only 1.11 seconds compared to 1.94 seconds in wild-type larvae, due to a more rapid progression of the contraction wave from posterior to anterior and a significant decrease in the length of the pause period between contraction waves.
