Genetic variation in resistance to ionizing radiation. Progress report, January--July 1990

Technical Report · Mon Dec 31 04:00:00 EST 1990

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/10116222· OSTI ID:10116222

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, Washington, DC (United States)
• DOE Contract Number: FG03-88ER60713
• OSTI ID: 10116222
• Report Number(s): DOE/ER/60713--T2; ON: DE92007059
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

550400
560152
59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
ANIMALS
BIOCHEMISTRY
COPPER COMPOUNDS
DROSOPHILA
ENZYME ACTIVITY
ENZYMES
GENETIC RADIATION EFFECTS
GENETIC VARIABILITY
GENETICS
GENOTYPE
IONIZING RADIATIONS
MUTANTS
OXYGEN
PROGRESS REPORT
RADICALS
STERILITY
ZINC COMPOUNDS