Subject: RE: FlyBase Query The B118 deletion I referred to in my conference abstract is associated with the T(1;Y)B118 translocation. Kevin Mitchell, formerly of Corey Goodman's lab, had been doing some physical mapping in the region of the NetA and NetB genes, which are located in the 12E-F region. As part of his studies, he had mapped the approximate breakpoints of some X;Y translocations with previously reported breakpoints in the 12E-13A region. He indicated to me that T(1;Y)B118 had a breakpoint on the X chromosome between NetB and rut. The two genes I study are Agr and Agr2, both of which are located in 12F between NetB and rut. I was interested in positioning the breakpoint of this translocation in relation to Agr and Agr2. Many males carrying the translocation are both viable and fertile (actually about 50-60% seem to die during the larval stage), so as a first experiment, I simply extracted genomic DNA from these males and did a Southern, using labeled Agr and Agr2 cDNAs. To my surprise, the 3' half of Agr and all of Agr2 appears to be missing. I have since repeated this experiment several times, with identical results. I have tried to determine the extent of this deletion: One breakpoint occurs within the Agr gene; the other appears to be 20-25 kb away. I don't believe any of the rut gene is deleted, which is consistent with the literature. I also don't believe that any of the NetB coding region is deleted. I haven't precisely mapped the location of NetB or rut in relation to Agr or Agr2, so this information is really an educated guess. I hope to gather some more precise information once I've re-established my lab in Texas. If you need any additional information, please let me know. . I hope this information clarifies things for you. \----- Begin Included Message ----- Dear Dr Kovalick, I am curating your abstract for FlyBase: Kovalick and Ray, Society for developmental Biology, 58 1999 (as published in Developmental Biology 210(1) 209 1999) You mention a chromosomal aberration B118. We do have in our records a B118 translocation, T(1;Y)B118: \*a T(1;Y)B118 \*z FBab0006664 \*B 12F1;h1-h17 \*c All limits from polytene analysis (citation unavailable) \*G l(1)dd4 << bk1 << NetA << rut << bk2 \*w Merriam and colleagues. \*o X ray \*O Dp(1;Y)BSYy+ \*p male viable \*x FBrf0066905 == Lindsley and Zimm, 1992, book \*x FBrf0102049 == Merriam et al., 1998.4.24, personal communication However your abstract seems to suggest that your 'B118' is new and distinct from this one. Is your 'B118' a straightforward deficiency? If so, is it about to be published anywhere? If not please could you send me a bit more information (discoverer, mutagen, breakpoints ...). This information is very useful to us as it impinges on the map data for the 'Agr2' gene.