A transposable P vector that confers selectable G418 resistance to Drosophilalarvae

Drosophilalarvae are rapidly killed by food containing the antibiotic G418. The bacterial gene for neomycin resistance introduced in the genome by P‐mediated transformation renders larvae resistant to G418 and able to grow to fertile adults. The neogene transcribed from the herpes thymidine kinase promoter gives low levels of resistance but high levels can be obtained using the hsp70heat‐shock promoter. We have constructed a vector for P‐mediated transformation which uses this finding to allow dominant selection of transformed progeny. Features of this vector also facilitate cloning and allow the rapid recovery of the inserted transposon from transformed flies. We have also constructed a cosmid vector for P‐mediated transformation that incorporates the hsp70‐neogene.