useful in correlating structural differences with 
functional variants. 
is possible with insertional mutants that contain a 
single P element harboring bacterial plasmid origin 
of replication, it should be possible to characterize 
a number of genes in a reasonable period of time 
and determine from the primary structure if some 
of these genes encode channel proteins or mole- 
cules that affect channel function. 
Isolation of channels with much greater diver- 
gence in structure and function is of obvious inter- 
est. A number of approaches are possible and are 
being explored. One of the approaches is the isola- 
tion of P element-induced mutations that cause 
behavioral and possibly physiological defects or 
interact with existing mutations known to affect po- 
tassium channels (e.g., Shaker). Given the accelera- 
tion of genetic and molecular characterizations that 
Dr. Lily Y Jan is also Professor of Physiology and 
Biochemistry at the University of California at San 
Francisco. 
PUBLICATIONS 
Books and Chapters of Books 
Schwarz, T.L., Carretto, R., Papazian, D., Tempel, B., Timpe, L., Jan, YN., and Jan, L.Y 1989. A family of potas- 
sium channels from the Shaker locus in Drosophila. In Molecular Biology of Neuroreceptors and Ion 
Channels (Maelicke, A., Ed.). New York: Springer-Verlag, pp 215-229. 
Caudy M., Vaessin, H., Brand, M., Tuma, R., Jan, L.Y, and Jan, YN. 1988. daughterless , a. Drosophila gene es- 
sential for both neurogenesis and sex determination, has sequence similarities to myc and the achaete- 
scute complex. Cell 55:1061-1067. 
Dambly-Chaudiere, C, Ghysen, A., Jan, L.Y , and Jan, YN. 1988. The determination of sense organs in Dro- 
sophila-. interaction of scute with daughterless. Roux's Arch Dev Biol 197:419-423. 
Hay, B., Jan, L.Y, and Jan, YN. 1988. A protein component oi Drosophila polar granules is encoded by vasa 
and has extensive sequence similarity to ATP-dependent helicases. Cell 55:577-587. 
Jan, L.Y, and Jan, YN. 1989. Voltage-sensitive ion channels. Cell 56:13-25. 
Murre, C, McCaw, PS., Vaessin, H., Caudy, M., Jan, L.Y, Jan, YN. , Cabrera, C.V., Buskin, J.N. , Hauschka, S.D., 
Lassar, A.B., Weintraub, H., and Baltimore, D. 1989. Interactions between heterologous helix-loop-helix 
proteins generate complexes that bind specifically to a common DNA sequence. Cell 58:537-544. 
Timpe, L.C., Jan, YN., and Jan, L.Y 1988. Four cDNA clones from the Shaker locus of Drosophila induce 
kinetically distinct A-type potassium currents in Xenopus oocytes. Neuron 1:659-661 . 
Uemura, T, Shepherd, S., Ackerman, L., Jan, L.Y, and Jan, YN. 1989. numb, a gene required in determination 
of cell fate during sensory organ formation in Drosophila embryos. Cell 58:349-360. 
Articles 
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