Atkinson, N.S., Brenner, R., Chang, W., Wilbur, J., Larimer, J.L., Yu, J. (2000). Molecular separation of two behavioral phenotypes by a mutation affecting the promoters of a Ca-activated K channel.  J. Neurosci. 20(8): 2988--2993.

FBrf0127488

Research paper

The Drosophila slowpoke gene encodes a BK-type calcium-activated potassium channel. Null mutations in slowpoke perturb the signaling properties of neurons and muscles and cause behavioral defects. The animals fly very poorly compared with wild-type strains and, after exposure to a bright but cool light or a heat pulse, exhibit a "sticky-feet" phenotype. Expression of slowpoke arises from five transcriptional promoters that express the gene in neural, muscle, and epithelial tissues. A chromosomal deletion (ash2(18)) has been identified that removes the neuronal promoters but not the muscle-tracheal cell promoter. This deletion complements the flight defect of slowpoke null mutants but not the sticky-feet phenotype. Electrophysiological assays confirm that the ash2(18) chromosome restores normal electrical properties to the flight muscle. This suggests that the flight defect arises from a lack of slowpoke expression in muscle, whereas the sticky-feet phenotype arises from a lack of expression in nervous tissue.

PMC6772212 (PMC) (EuropePMC)