Effects of a chromosome-3 mutator gene on radiation-induced mutability in Drosophila melanogaster females. 1982

K Sankaranarayanan

A series of X-irradiation experiments was carried out using Drosophila melanogaster females homozygous for a third chromosome mutator gene and females which had a similar genetic background except that the mutator-bearing third chromosomes were substituted by normal wild-type chromosomes. The mutator females had been previously shown by Gold and Green to manifest a higher level of radiation-induced mutability (as measured by the X-ray-induction of sex-linked recessive lethals) in their pre-meiotic germ cells compared to normal females at an exposure of 100 R. In the presence work, the sensitivity of the pre-meiotic germ cells of mutator and normal females to the X-ray induction (2000 R) of sex-linked recessive lethals was studied. In addition, experiments were conducted to examine the sensitivity of the immature (stage 7; prophase I of meiosis) oocytes of both kinds of females to the induction of dominant lethals, X-linked recessive lethals and X-chromosome losses. The result show that in pre-meiotic germ cells, the frequencies of radiation-induced recessive lethals are similar in both kinds of females. However, the proportion of these mutations that occur in clusters of size 3 and higher, is higher in mutator than in normal females. In stage-7 oocytes, the frequencies of radiation-induced dominant lethals and sex-linked recessive lethals were similar in both kinds of females. The X-loss frequencies however, were consistently higher in mutator females although statistical significance was obtained only at higher exposures (3000 and 3750 R) and not at lower ones (750-2250 R). Possible reasons for the discrepancy between the present results and those of Gold and Green with respect to pre-meiotic germ cells are discussed.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D009154 Mutation Any detectable and heritable change in the genetic material that causes a change in the GENOTYPE and which is transmitted to daughter cells and to succeeding generations. Mutations
D002875 Chromosomes In a prokaryotic cell or in the nucleus of a eukaryotic cell, a structure consisting of or containing DNA which carries the genetic information essential to the cell. (From Singleton & Sainsbury, Dictionary of Microbiology and Molecular Biology, 2d ed) Chromosome
D004331 Drosophila melanogaster A species of fruit fly frequently used in genetics because of the large size of its chromosomes. D. melanogaster,Drosophila melanogasters,melanogaster, Drosophila
D005260 Female Females
D005796 Genes A category of nucleic acid sequences that function as units of heredity and which code for the basic instructions for the development, reproduction, and maintenance of organisms. Cistron,Gene,Genetic Materials,Cistrons,Genetic Material,Material, Genetic,Materials, Genetic
D005799 Genes, Dominant Genes that influence the PHENOTYPE both in the homozygous and the heterozygous state. Conditions, Dominant Genetic,Dominant Genetic Conditions,Genetic Conditions, Dominant,Condition, Dominant Genetic,Dominant Gene,Dominant Genes,Dominant Genetic Condition,Gene, Dominant,Genetic Condition, Dominant
D005804 Genes, Lethal Genes whose loss of function or gain of function MUTATION leads to the death of the carrier prior to maturity. They may be essential genes (GENES, ESSENTIAL) required for viability, or genes which cause a block of function of an essential gene at a time when the essential gene function is required for viability. Alleles, Lethal,Allele, Lethal,Gene, Lethal,Lethal Allele,Lethal Alleles,Lethal Gene,Lethal Genes
D005808 Genes, Recessive Genes that influence the PHENOTYPE only in the homozygous state. Conditions, Recessive Genetic,Genetic Conditions, Recessive,Recessive Genetic Conditions,Condition, Recessive Genetic,Gene, Recessive,Genetic Condition, Recessive,Recessive Gene,Recessive Genes,Recessive Genetic Condition
D000818 Animals Unicellular or multicellular, heterotrophic organisms, that have sensation and the power of voluntary movement. Under the older five kingdom paradigm, Animalia was one of the kingdoms. Under the modern three domain model, Animalia represents one of the many groups in the domain EUKARYOTA. Animal,Metazoa,Animalia
D014960 X Chromosome The female sex chromosome, being the differential sex chromosome carried by half the male gametes and all female gametes in human and other male-heterogametic species. Chromosome, X,Chromosomes, X,X Chromosomes
Copied contents to your clipboard!