Only 56% of homozygous 18wΔ7-35 third instar larvae are still alive 24 hours after infection with either E.coli or E.cloacae, compared to 90% survival for 18wΔ7-35 heterozygotes, 18wΔ1-12 homozygotes or wild-type third instar larvae. Homozygous 18wΔ7-35 third instar larvae show 100% survival 24 hours after wounding with a sterile pyrogen-free needle.
Lethality is not complete. In uncrowded conditions 0.5% of the flies survive. Survivors eclose later than their sibs and die within a few days. Survivors typically show morphological defects in at least one appendage.
18wk02701/18wΔ7-35, Toll-6ex13 has lethal phenotype
18wk02701/18wΔ7-35, Df(3L)Brd15/Tollo58 has lethal phenotype
18wΔ7-35/18wk02701; Toll-6ex13/Toll-6ex13 double mutants display 66% lethality.
18wΔ7-35/18wk02701; Tollo58/Df(3L)Brd15 double mutants are lethal.
Homozygous mutants develop up to the third larval instar, and after a prolonged duration of up to 4 days at this stage they die prior to pupation. Adult escapers are very occasionally observed. However, 18wΔ7-35 in combination with Df(2R)017 (a deficiency which removes 18w) produces viable adults (although in numbers significantly lower than the expected Mendelian ratios) indicating that the lethality of homozygous 18wΔ7-35 larvae is not entirely due to a lack of 18w product.