Genetic variation in resistance to ionizing radiation

Technical Report · Tue Dec 31 23:00:00 EST 1991

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/7368758· OSTI ID:7368758

Ayala, F. J.

Results of an investigation of the gene coding for Cu, Zn superoxide dismutase (Sod) in Drosophila melanogaster seeking to understand the enzyme's role in cell protection against ionizing radiation are reported. Components of the investigation include molecular characterization of the gene; measuring the response of different genotypes to increasing levels of radiation; and investigation of the processes that maintain the Sod polymorphism in populations. While two alleles, S and F, are commonly found at the Sod locus in natural populations of D. melanogaster we have isolated from a natural population a null (CA1) mutant that yields only 3.5% of normal SOD activity. The S, F, and CA1 alleles provide a model system to investigate SOD-dependent radioresistance, because each allele yields different levels of SOD, so that S > F >> CAl. The radioprotective effects of SOD can be established by showing protective effects for the various genotypes that correspond to those inequalities. Because the allele variants studied are derived from natural populations, the proposed investigation avoids problems that arise when mutants obtained my mutagenesis are used. Moreover, each allele is studied in multiple genetic backgrounds, so that we correct for effects attributable to other loci by randomizing these effects.

• Research Organization: California Univ., Irvine, CA (United States). Dept. of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology
• Sponsoring Organization: DOE; USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
• DOE Contract Number: FG03-88ER60713
• OSTI ID: 7368758
• Report Number(s): DOE/ER/60713-T4; ON: DE93017834
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

550200 -- Biochemistry
550400 -- Genetics
560100* -- Biomedical Sciences
Applied Studies-- Radiation Effects
59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
ALKALI METAL ISOTOPES
AMINO ACID SEQUENCE
ANIMALS
ARTHROPODS
BETA DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
BETA-MINUS DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
BIOLOGICAL VARIABILITY
CESIUM 137
CESIUM ISOTOPES
DIPTERA
DOCUMENT TYPES
DROSOPHILA
ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION
ENZYME ACTIVITY
ENZYMES
FLIES
FRUIT FLIES
GAMMA RADIATION
GENETIC VARIABILITY
GERM CELLS
INSECTS
INTERMEDIATE MASS NUCLEI
INVERTEBRATES
IONIZING RADIATIONS
ISOTOPES
LETHAL MUTATIONS
MOLECULAR STRUCTURE
MUTATIONS
NUCLEI
ODD-EVEN NUCLEI
OOCYTES
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
OXIDOREDUCTASES
PROGRESS REPORT
PROTEINS
RADIATIONS
RADIOISOTOPES
RADIOSENSITIVITY
SUPEROXIDE DISMUTASE
YEARS LIVING RADIOISOTOPES