Skip to main content
U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Assessment of mutagenic damage by monofunctional alkylating agents and gamma radiation in haploid and diploid frogs, Xenopus laevis

Journal Article · · Environ. Mutagen.; (United States)

Adult male South African clawed frogs, Xenopus laevis, were mutagenized by 3-day immersion in aqueous solutions of ethyl methanesulfonate (EMS), diethyl nitrosamine (DEN), or ethyl nitrosourea (ENU), or by acute exposure to gamma radiation. They were then spawned repeatedly at 2-week intervals with untreated females, and embryonic survival of the progeny was used to assess genetic damage. Recessive lethal effects were assessed from reduced survival of androgenetic haploid progeny. Neither recessive nor dominant lethal effects were obtained after exposure to 100 mg/liter EMS or 2 g/liter DEN. At 250 mg/liter EMS, peak dominant lethality occurred 3-5 weeks after treatment. Most embryos hatched, but many were abnormal and died shortly after hatching. Haploid survival was significantly reduced over a broader period, from 1 to 13 weeks after mutagenesis. Treatment with 75 mg/liter ENU produced effects similar to the 250-mg/liter EMS mutagenesis. At 400 mg/liter EMS, the frequency and severity of the effects on both diploid and haploid embryos were increased over the lower dose. Gamma irradiation at 1500 R produced effects similar to the 400-mg/liter mutagenesis, except that peak dominant lethality extended from 1 to 7 weeks.

Research Organization:
IEC Beak Consultants, Ltd, Mississauga, Ontario
OSTI ID:
6268071
Journal Information:
Environ. Mutagen.; (United States), Journal Name: Environ. Mutagen.; (United States) Vol. 6:5; ISSN ENMUD
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English