Characterization of a method for quantitating food consumption for mutation assays in Drosophila

Journal Article · Tue Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1991 · Environmental and Molecular Mutagenesis; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1002/em.2850180104· OSTI ID:5190997

Thompson, E D; Reeder, B A; Bruce, R D ^[1]

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1. Miami Valley Laboratories, Procter Gamble Company, Cincinnati, OH (USA)

Quantitation of food consumption is necessary when determining mutation responses to multiple chemical exposures in the sex-linked recessive lethal assay in Drosophila. One method proposed for quantitating food consumption by Drosophila is to measure the incorporation of 14C-leucine into the flies during the feeding period. Three sources of variation in the technique of Thompson and Reeder have been identified and characterized. First, the amount of food consumed by individual flies differed by almost 30% in a 24 hr feeding period. Second, the variability from vial to vial (each containing multiple flies) was around 15%. Finally, the amount of food consumed in identical feeding experiments performed over the course of 1 year varied nearly 2-fold. The use of chemical consumption values in place of exposure levels provided a better means of expressing the combined mutagenic response. In addition, the kinetics of food consumption over a 3 day feeding period for exposures to cyclophosphamide which produce lethality were compared to non-lethal exposures. Extensive characterization of lethality induced by exposures to cyclophosphamide demonstrate that the lethality is most likely due to starvation, not chemical toxicity.

• OSTI ID: 5190997
• Journal Information: Environmental and Molecular Mutagenesis; (United States), Vol. 18:1; ISSN 0893-6692
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
DROSOPHILA
BIOASSAY
ENDOXAN
MUTAGENESIS
CARBON 14 COMPOUNDS
FOOD
GENE MUTATIONS
ISOTOPE DILUTION
LEUCINE
METABOLISM
RECESSIVE MUTATIONS
ALKYLATING AGENTS
AMINO ACIDS
ANIMALS
ARTHROPODS
CARBON COMPOUNDS
CARBOXYLIC ACIDS
DIPTERA
DRUGS
FLIES
FRUIT FLIES
IMMUNOSUPPRESSIVE DRUGS
INSECTS
INVERTEBRATES
ISOTOPE APPLICATIONS
LABELLED COMPOUNDS
MUTATIONS
ORGANIC ACIDS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
TRACER TECHNIQUES
550501* - Metabolism- Tracer Techniques