Genetic and molecular analysis of the X chromosomal region 14B17-14C4 in Drosophila melanogaster: loss of function in NONA, a nuclear protein common to many cell types, results in specific physiological and behavioral defects

Genetic studies on the 14C area of the X chromosome of Drosophila melanogaster, to isolate inactivated alleles of no-on-transient A (NONA), were conducted. NONA is a nuclear protein present in puffs on polytene chromosomes of several cell types. Sequence data reveals that the protein is comprised of a pair of RNA binding motifs located in several single-strand nucleic acid binding proteins. The hypomorphic alleles of this gene also consist of regularly distributed nonA RNA and NONA protein embryos.