Final answer:
If the Ey gene is ectopically expressed in larval cells of the area that gives rise to a leg, it could result in abnormal leg development or a leg growing in an inappropriate location.
Step-by-step explanation:
If the Ey gene is ectopically expressed in larval cells of the area that gives rise to a leg, it could result in abnormal leg development or a leg growing in an inappropriate location.
This is because the Ey gene, also known as the eyeless gene, plays a crucial role in eye development.
When expressed in cells that would normally give rise to a leg, it can disrupt the normal signaling pathways and gene expression patterns that control leg development, leading to abnormalities.
For example, in fruit flies (Drosophila), mutations in the Antennapedia gene, which is part of the Hox gene cluster that controls body plan development, can result in legs growing on the head instead of antennae.
This is a classic example of homeotic transformation where a body part is replaced by another in the wrong location. Ectopic expression of the Ey gene in leg precursor cells could potentially lead to similar homeotic transformations or other abnormal limb development.