Figure 1

The Su(var)3-9/eIF2γ gene fusion as it was previously found in several holometabolic insects [10]. In this schematic drawing, a Su(var)3-9-specific exon is shown inside the conserved eIF2γ intron 81-1, which is situated after the first nucleotide of the D. melanogaster-codon 81 of eIF2γ. This gene structure expresses two mRNA variants, which encode two functionally unrelated proteins, through 3'alternative splicing from a common promoter and was detected in several species of flies, butterflies and beetles.