Drosophila RpS3a, a novel Minute gene situated between the segment polarity genes cubitus interruptus and dTCF

Genetic analysis of the small chromosome 4 of Drosophila has been hampered by the virtual lack of recombination. The segment polarity gene cubitus interruptus (ci) maps to the most intensively studied locus on this chromosome. Up to four complementation groups have been found to be associated with ci. We and others have recently characterized a second segment polarity gene, dTCF or pan, 12 kb upstream of ci, in a head-to-head configuration. During the course of these studies we identified a transcription unit in the intergenic region. We report here the cloning of cDNAs from this transcription unit, which encode the Drosophila homologue of the human ribosomal protein S3a (RpS3a). The RpS3a gene is expressed ubiquitously and throughout development. A Minute allele, M(4)101, linked tightly to ci, was found to harbour an integration of a Doc retroposon in the promotor region of RpS3a. Thus, like other Minute loci, M(4)101 encodes a component of the protein synthesis machinery. These data further unravel the complex genetics surrounding the ci and dTCF loci.