Flight pattern induced by temperature in a single-gene mutant of Drosophila melanogaster.

Simultaneous intracellular recordings were made from the six dorsal longitudinal flight muscle (DLM) fibers in the temperature-sensitive mutant of Drosophila melanogaster, shibirets1 (shi). The DLM firing pattern induced by temperature in shi was compared with the DLM pattern of a wild-type fly in stationary flight. The firing pattern, induced at temperatures between about 26 and 27 degrees C, was very similar to that of the wild-type pattern. At higher temperatures, the pattern became abnormal, characterized by many synchronous firings among the fibers and occasional bursting.