Defining the breakpoints of the v <i>ermilion white</i> ( <i>v <sup>w</sup></i> ) mutation, a deletion that removes <i>vermilion, gustatory receptor candidate 58,</i> and <i>norpA</i>

A key mutation for generating transgenics in <i>Tribolium castaneum</i> is <i>vermilion ^white</i> ( <i>v ^w</i> ). <i>&nbsp;v ^w</i> is a deletion that removes most of the <i>vermilion</i> locus, but the upstream breakpoint has not been mapped. Here we report that the second breakpoint is located upstream in the <i>Tribolium</i> homolog of <i>norpA.</i> The <i>v ^w</i> deletion is 4434 bps. The deletion eliminates not only <i>vermilion</i> but also <i>gustatory receptor candidate 58</i> and <i>norpA</i> function. Therefore, the <i>v ^w</i> mutation is a deficiency that affects three genetic loci. To acknowledge the disruption of multiple loci this genetic mutant will be known as Deficiency <i>vermilion ^white</i> , Df ( <i>v ^w</i> ).