The Anopheles gambiae tryptophan oxygenase gene expressed from a baculovirus promoter complements Drosophila melanogaster vermilion.

An Anopheles gambiae cDNA encoding tryptophan oxygenase was placed under the control of the constitutive baculovirus promoter, ie-1. The chimeric construct, expressed transiently in vermilion (tryptophan oxygenase) mutants of Drosophila melanogaster, partially rescued adult eye color. The successful genetic complementation by this construct demonstrated both the proper function of the tryptophan oxygenase product and the effectiveness of the ie-1 promoter in directing expression of foreign genes in live insects. The functionality of An. gambiae tryptophan oxygenase in a higher fly fulfils predictions based on its structural conservation throughout millions of years of independent evolution.