Genetic variation in resistance to ionizing radiation

Technical Report · Mon Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1990

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/5597533· OSTI ID:5597533

Ayala, F. J.

We proposed an investigation of genetically-determined individual differences in sensitivity to ionizing radiation. The model organism is Drosophila melanogaster. The gene coding for Cu, Zn superoxide dismutase (SOD) is the target locus, but the effects of variation in other components of the genome that modulate SOD levels are also taken into account. SOD scavenges oxygen radicals generated during exposure to ionizing radiation. It has been shown to protect against ionizing radiation damage to DNA, viruses, bacteria, mammalian cells, whole mice, and Drosophila. Two alleles, S and F, are commonly found in natural populations of D. melanogaster; in addition we have isolated from a natural population of null'' (CA1) mutant that yields only 3.5% of normal SOD activity. The S, F, and CA1 alleles provide an ideal model system to investigate SOD-dependent radioresistance, because each allele yields different levels of SOD, so that S > F >> CA1. The role of SOD levels in radioresistance are being investigated in a series of experiments that measure the somatic and germ-line effects of increasing doses of ionizing radiation. During the first seven months of funding we have completed a number of experiments and are proceeding with many others. We have made progress along all the research lines anticipated for the first year of this grant, as summarized in the following pages.

• Research Organization: California Univ., Irvine, CA (United States). Dept. of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE; USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
• DOE Contract Number: FG03-88ER60713
• OSTI ID: 5597533
• Report Number(s): DOE/ER/60713-T2; ON: DE92007059
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
DROSOPHILA
GENETIC RADIATION EFFECTS
BIOCHEMISTRY
COPPER COMPOUNDS
ENZYME ACTIVITY
ENZYMES
GENETIC VARIABILITY
GENOTYPE
IONIZING RADIATIONS
MUTANTS
OXYGEN
PROGRESS REPORT
RADICALS
STERILITY
ZINC COMPOUNDS
ANIMALS
ARTHROPODS
BIOLOGICAL EFFECTS
BIOLOGICAL RADIATION EFFECTS
BIOLOGICAL VARIABILITY
CHEMISTRY
DIPTERA
DOCUMENT TYPES
ELEMENTS
FLIES
FRUIT FLIES
GENETIC EFFECTS
INSECTS
INVERTEBRATES
NONMETALS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
PROTEINS
RADIATION EFFECTS
RADIATIONS
TRANSITION ELEMENT COMPOUNDS
560152* - Radiation Effects on Animals- Animals
550400 - Genetics