Physical map of the white locus of Drosophila melanogaster

The white locus of Drosophila melanogaster is a genetically well-characterized locus, mutations in which alter the degree or pattern of pigmentation of the eyes. Using a previously cloned DNA segment containing a portion of the white locus of a mutant allele, we have cloned and characterized the DNA of a 48-kilobase chromosomal region of the Canton S wild-type strain. We have mapped the positions, relative to restriction endonuclease cleavage sites, of several previously characterized chromosomal rearrangement breakpoints that bracket the white locus. These results define a segment of 14 kilobases that contains all of the white locus sequences necessary for the production of a wild-type eye color phenotype. By conventional criteria, no repetitive sequences are present within this 14-kilobase segment; however, we have identified an extremely weak DNA sequence homology between a portion of this segment and a chromosomal region in the vicinity of the zeste locus.