An Adenine Requirement in a Strain of Drosophila

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Abstract
A comparative study made on a wild type (Oregon-R) and Inversion (2LR) 40d made to obtain more exacting nutritional requirements of genetically different strains has indicated the inversion strain is incapable of synthesizing nucleic acid or one of its derivatives for its complete development without the presence of adenine, its nucleoside or nucleotide in the medium. The collected eggs, washed in 95% ethyl alcohol for 45 min., were inoculated ten per tube by bacteriological methods on agar slants of specially prepared medium. The series of expts. included effects of (1) the presence of nucleic acid in medium, (2) the use of media without nucleic acid but with either one pyrimidine base, ribonucleoside or ribonucleotide but not cytosine and, (3) a combination of purine and pyrimidines for the adenine requirement. Results indicated that the inversion strain cannot synthesize nucleic acid as the normal Drosophila nor can the requirement be met with any combination of purine or pyrimidines. Present work has led to further investigation of the genetic analysis of their results since this is the first clear cut case of the inheritance of a basic biochemical difference involving a nutritional deficiency in a multicellular animal.