purpleoid 1 , a classic Drosophila eye color mutation, is an allele of the t-SNARE-encoding gene SNAP29

Abstract

The Drosophila mutant eye color trait purpleoid ( pd ) was first observed by Calvin Bridges over a century ago. Although pd mutant strains have been maintained ever since, the pd locus has not been identified. Using complementation tests, genetic rescue, and DNA sequencing, we show that pd ¹ is a missense mutation in SNAP29 ; this gene encodes a key component of the SNARE complex, which facilitates vesicle docking and fusion at cellular membranes. After describing how pd ¹ was mapped, we discuss ways that the mutation could be used in future studies of eye pigmentation, SNARE complex assembly, and vesicle trafficking.