Pli1 mutants are pupal lethal, whereas Pli1 germ line clones have germ band retraction defects, but also twisted embryos and embryos with head involution defects. Pli1 germ line clones crossed to Df(3R)06624 show the same frequency of defects as crossed to Pli1. In contrast, Pli1 germ line clones crossed to paternally wild type flies show very few defects.
Infection of Pli1 mutants with Micrococcus luteus strongly reduces their viability resulting in 50% lethality approximately 15 days earlier than in wild-type flies infected at the same time.
Pli1 is rescued by PliUAS.cHa
Pli1 is rescued by PliUAS.cHa/Scer\GAL4hs.PB
Expressing PliScer\UAS.cHa with Scer\GAL4hs.PB using 1 hour heat shocks every day from first instar onwards rescues Pli1 homozygous mutants to viability. The survival of PliScer\UAS.cHa-carrying flies, in the absence of heat shock, can be increased to wild-type levels by removing infectious agents from their environment.