Sugar-hydrolysing enzymes in gustatory mutants of Drosophila.

The distribution of the isozymes of α-glucosidase in different parts of Drosophila melanogaster was examined. Two of the eight glucosidase bands are associated with tarsi. The gustatory mutations in the genes gustB and gustC greatly reduce tarsal glucosidase activity, but the enzyme deficiency is not correlated with inability to taste sugars.