FB2026_01 , released March 12, 2026
FB2026_01 , released March 12, 2026
Allele: Dmel\drl2
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General Information
Symbol
Dmel\drl2
Species
D. melanogaster
Name
FlyBase ID
FBal0061067
Feature type
allele
Associated gene
Associated Insertion(s)
Carried in Construct
Also Known As
lio2
Key Links
Allele class
Nature of the Allele
Allele class
Caused by aberration
Cytology
Description

4kb deletion generated by excision of the P{lacW} element.

Imprecise excision of the P{lacW}pigeonP1 element, removing 5' regulatory sequences and the first exon of the drl gene and extending at least into P{lacW}pigeonP1.

Mutations Mapped to the Genome
Curation Data
Type
Location
Additional Notes
References
Variant Molecular Consequences
Associated Sequence Data
DNA sequence
Protein sequence
 
Expression Data
Reporter Expression
Additional Information
Statement
Reference
 
Marker for
Reflects expression of
Reporter construct used in assay
Human Disease Associations
Disease Ontology (DO) Annotations
Models Based on Experimental Evidence ( 0 )
Disease
Evidence
References
Modifiers Based on Experimental Evidence ( 0 )
Disease
Interaction
References
Comments on Models/Modifiers Based on Experimental Evidence ( 0 )
 
Disease-implicated variant(s)
 
Phenotypic Data
Phenotypic Class
Phenotype Manifest In
Detailed Description
Statement
Reference

Branching of the α and β axons of the mushroom body occurs normally in the brains of drl2/drlR343 animals, but the α axons extend inappropriately along the medial trajectory, resulting in the loss of the mushroom body α lobe in more than 80% of flies. Both the α and β axons show aberrant midline crossing.

Ectopic glomeruli develop at the midline of the antennal lobe in 39% of mutant brains, while in the remaining antennal lobes, abnormal protrusions extend from the dorsal-medial corner of the lobe. In addition, olfactory receptor neurons often take circuitous routes to their targets and some of the axons terminate unilaterally. The dendritic arbors of the projection neurons appear chaotic, and a subset of arbors invade the midline of the antennal lobe.

drl2/drlR343 mutants display a complete loss of the dorsal lobes and a fusion of the median lobes over the midline. A few drl2/drlR343 mutants display a milder phenotype with dorsal lobes shorter or thinner than normal and a partial fusion of the median lobes. All drl2/drlR343 mutants have abnormal mushroom bodies.

Mushroom bodies of drlexc21/drl2 adults show similar defects to those of drl2. drlexc21 and drl2 homozygotes and drlexc21/drl2 transheterozygotes show comparable mean memory retention scores (16+-4, 17+-3 and 18+-4 respectively, Canton S being 66+-2) after classical conditioning of an olfactory avoidance response.

The transient interhemispheric fibrous ring (TIFR) is present but disorganised in drl2 mutant larval brains.

In Df(2R)lio2 mutants the fan-shaped body is distorted on its dorsal side in homozygous adults; it is flattened at the top. At the junction between the two hemispheres, the perikarya do not reach the top of the fan-shaped body and fibres of the dorsal protocerebrum of each hemisphere abnormally cross the midline at this level. Fibres of the β lobes of each hemisphere abnormally cross the midline and the β lobes appear completely fused across the midline. The β lobes also appear deformed and thickened. The γ lobes also show fusion defects, although the phenotype is more variable. A partial fusion of the lobes is often seen, with the most posterior fibres that are dorsal and parallel to the fibres of the β lobes usually being fused across the midline. The anterior fibres of the γ lobe are not usually fused. The α and α' lobes also show variable defects; in the strongest cases a complete loss of the α and α' lobe fibres is seen. drl2/drlPGAL8 flies have defects in the mushroom bodies and central complex.

Df(2R)lio2 adults have brain defects. Typically, the mushroom bodies peduncles look thinner than normal, the left and right β/γ lobes are fused and the α lobes are either missing or reduced. The β lobes appear thicker than normal. The mushroom body calyces are normal in size. The fan-shaped body of the central complex is flattened, with abnormal fibres covering its dorsal part. Some of the upper fibres escape the fan-shaped body to reach the ellipsoid body. The ellipsoid body appears enlarged, and the cell bodies of the ring neurons appear closer to the brain centre than normal. The protocerebral bridge is split in two or more pieces. The optic lobes appear abnormal.

Homozygous flies carrying the pigeon2, drl2 chromosome (Df(2R)lio2) show a 60% decrease in 0.5 hour memory in a odour avoidance conditioning test.

External Data
Interactions
Show genetic interaction network for Enhancers & Suppressors
Phenotypic Class
Enhanced by
Statement
Reference
Suppressed by
Enhancer of
Statement
Reference

drl[+], drl2, Drl-2E124, Drl-2[+] is an enhancer of abnormal neuroanatomy phenotype of Scer\GAL4c739, Wnt5UAS.cFa

Suppressor of
Statement
Reference
Other
Statement
Reference
Phenotype Manifest In
Enhanced by
Statement
Reference
Suppressed by
Enhancer of
Statement
Reference
Suppressor of
Statement
Reference

drl2 is a suppressor of eye phenotype of Scer\GAL4ey.PH, wgeUAS.Tag:HA

NOT Suppressor of
Statement
Reference

drl[+]/drl2 is a non-suppressor of adult antennal lobe phenotype of Wnt5400

drl2/drl2 is a non-suppressor of adult antennal lobe phenotype of Wnt5400

Additional Comments
Genetic Interactions
Statement
Reference

The severity of the mushroom body α axon misguidance phenotype seen in flies expressing two copies of Wnt5Scer\UAS.cFa under the control of Scer\GAL4c739 is significantly enhanced (to over 10%) if they are also carrying either drl2/+ or Drl-2E124/+. Flies simultaneously carrying both drl2/+ and Drl-2E124/+ and expressing two copies of Wnt5Scer\UAS.cFa under the control of Scer\GAL4c739 show misguidance of α axons in over 40% of cases.

Expression of Drl-2Scer\UAS.T:Hsap\MYC under the control Scer\GAL4elav-C155 in the presence of Scer\GAL80Mef2.mb247 partially rescues the formation of the mushroom body α lobe in drl2/drlR343 flies.

Expression of Wnt5Scer\UAS.cFa under the control of Scer\GAL4SG18.1 in a drl2 background results in large glomeruli at the midline of the antennal lobe in 83% of mutant animals.

drl2/+ has no effect on the antennal lobe phenotype of Wnt5400 homozygotes.

Wnt5400/Y drl2/drl2 double mutants have antennal lobes with the characteristic shape seen in Wnt5400/Y single mutants.

Wnt5400/+ suppresses the antennal lobe phenotypes of drl2 mutants (both the dorsomedial antennal lobe protrusions and the glomerular defects are suppressed).

Xenogenetic Interactions
Statement
Reference
Complementation and Rescue Data
Comments

Expression of drlScer\UAS.T:Hsap\MYC under the control Scer\GAL4elav-C155 rescues the formation of the mushroom body α lobe in more than 80% of drl2/drlR343 flies, and the level of rescue is not affected if Scer\GAL80Mef2.mb247 is also present.

Expression of drlScer\UAS.T:Hsap\MYC under the control Scer\GAL4Dll.PU significantly rescues the formation of the mushroom body α lobe in drl2/drlR343 flies.

Expression of drlΔcyto.Scer\UAS.T:Hsap\MYC under the control Scer\GAL4elav-C155 in the presence of Scer\GAL80Mef2.mb247 rescues the formation of the mushroom body α lobe in more than 80% of drl2/drlR343 flies.

Expression of drlΔWIF.Scer\UAS.T:Hsap\MYC under the control Scer\GAL4elav-C155 in the presence of Scer\GAL80Mef2.mb247 does not rescue the formation of the mushroom body α lobe in drl2/drlR343 flies.

Expression of drlΔTBC.Scer\UAS.T:Hsap\MYC under the control Scer\GAL4elav-C155 in the presence of Scer\GAL80Mef2.mb247 does not rescue the formation of the mushroom body α lobe in drl2/drlR343 flies.

Expression of drlScer\UAS.cYa under the control of Scer\GAL4GH146 partially rescues the antennal lobe defects of drl2 adults: glomerular defects remain but protrusions from the antennal lobe are absent.

Expression of drlScer\UAS.cYa under the control of Scer\GAL4repo.PU strongly rescues the antennal lobe defects of drl2 adults: the midline defects are completely rescued and the occurrence of targeting defects is strongly reduced.

Expression of drlScer\UAS.cYa under the control of Scer\GAL4elav.PU does not rescue the antennal lobe defects of drl2 adults.

Expression of either drlΔintra.Scer\UAS.T:Hsap\MYC or drlK371A.Scer\UAS.cWa under the control of Scer\GAL4repo.PU partially rescues the antennal lobe defects of drl2 adults: both midline defects and targeting defects are partially rescued.

Expression of drlΔWIF.Scer\UAS under the control of Scer\GAL4repo.PU does not rescue the antennal lobe defects of drl2 adults.

Pan-neural expression of two copies of drlScer\UAS.cCa under the control of Scer\GAL4elav-C155 rescues the phenotype of drl2/drlR343, with 68% of the mushroom bodies reverting to a wild-type phenotype. Expression of drlK371A.Scer\UAS or drlΔintra.Scer\UAS.T:Hsap\MYC, under the control of Scer\GAL4elav-C155 can completely rescue the mushroom body phenotype of drl2/drlR343 in 30% and 19% of the cases respectively.

Images (0)
Mutant
Wild-type
Stocks (3)
Notes on Origin
Discoverer

Induced with: pigeon2.

Comments
Comments

Flies mutant for the pigeon2,drl2 (Df(2R)lio2) chromosome show a learning defect that may be more severe than that of flies mutant for pigeonP1,drlP1 mutants. Since the anatomical defect of the pigeon2,drl2 flies is more severe than for pigeonP1,drlP1 mutants, any lower learning score may be caused not by a mechanistic effect on learning but rather by an additional effect on the anatomy of mushroom bodies.

External Crossreferences and Linkouts ( 0 )
Synonyms and Secondary IDs (2)
References (16)