Insertional Mutagenesis

[Ben Strub]

I am currently performing an insertional mutagenesis screen in which a
"mutator" strain carrying a P element marked with mini-white is crossed to
a jumpstarter strain carrying transposase activity.  This cross induces
the excision of the marked P element, such that it can insert elsewhere
in the genome.  Stability of the insertion is obtained by selecting
progeny without transposase activity.

A similar protocol is reported by Cooley et al. in Science 239:1121.

I have been unable to find any data describing the insertion efficiency of
such a protocol.  Can anyone tell me what sort of efficiency to expect?

Ben Strub 
c/o J.P. Phillips and A.J. Hilliker
University of Guelph
Ontario, Canada