Intercellular distribution of mutations induced in oopcytes of Drosophila melanogaster by chemical and physical mutagens

Journal Article · Tue May 01 00:00:00 EDT 1979 · Genetics; (United States)

OSTI ID:5393354

Traut, H

When females of Drosophila melanogaster are treated with chemical or physical mutagens, not only in one but also in both of the two homologous X chromosomes of a given oocyte, a recessive sex-linked lethal mutation may be induced. A method is described that discriminates between such single and double mutations. A theory is developed to show how a comparison betweeen the expected and the observer frequency of double mutations yields an indication of the intercellular distribution (random or nonrandom) of recessive lethal mutations induced by mutagenic agents in oocytes and, consequently, of the distribution (homogenous or nonhomogeneous) of those agents. Three agents were tested: FUdR (12.5, 50.0 and 81.0 ..mu..g/ml), mitomycin C (130.0 ..mu..g/ml) and x rays (2000 R, 150 kV). After FUdR feeding, no increase in the mutation frequency usually observed in D. melanogaster without mutagenic treatment was obtained (u = 0.13%, namely three single mutations among 2332 chromosomes tested). After mitomycin C feeding 104 single and three double mutations were obtained. All of the 50 mutations observed after x irradiation were single mutations. The results obtained in the mitomycin C and radiation experiments favor the assumption of a random intercellular distribution of recessive lethal mutations induced by these two agents in oocytes of D. melanogaster. Reasons are discussed why for other types of mutagenic agents nonrandom distributions may be observed with our technique.

• Research Organization: Univ. Muenster, Germany
• OSTI ID: 5393354
• Journal Information: Genetics; (United States), Vol. 92:1
• 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
LETHAL MUTATIONS
RADIOINDUCTION
MITOMYCIN
RADIOSENSITIVITY EFFECTS
RECESSIVE MUTATIONS
X CHROMOSOME
FEMALES
FUDR
MUTAGENESIS
MUTAGENS
MUTATION FREQUENCY
OOCYTES
X RADIATION
ANIMALS
ANTIBIOTICS
ANTIMETABOLITES
ANTIMITOTIC DRUGS
ARTHROPODS
AZINES
BIOLOGICAL EFFECTS
BIOLOGICAL RADIATION EFFECTS
CHROMOSOMES
DRUGS
ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION
FLIES
FLUOROURACILS
FRUIT FLIES
GENETIC EFFECTS
GERM CELLS
HETEROCHROMOSOMES
HETEROCYCLIC COMPOUNDS
HYDROXY COMPOUNDS
INSECTS
INVERTEBRATES
IONIZING RADIATIONS
MUTATIONS
NUCLEOSIDES
NUCLEOTIDES
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC FLUORINE COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC HALOGEN COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC NITROGEN COMPOUNDS
PYRIMIDINES
RADIATION EFFECTS
RADIATIONS
RADIOSENSITIZERS
RESPONSE MODIFYING FACTORS
RIBOSIDES
URACILS
560154* - Radiation Effects on Animals- Basic Studies- (-1987)
550400 - Genetics