Mutagenicity testing withDrosophila

✍ Scribed by Friedrich E. Würgler

• Publisher: Springer-Verlag
• Year: 1980
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 698 KB
• Volume: 46
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0340-5761
• DOI: 10.1007/bf00361247

✦ Synopsis

The fruit fly, Drosophila melanogaster with its well known genetics F. E. Wiirgler properties of the compound under test, the route of application has to be selected with care, in order to assure that a significant exposure of the germ cells to the chemical or to its metabolites is achieved. Occasionally problems are encountered with water-insoluble compounds and the use of DMSO as solvent. These problems are currently under investigation. Possible means to increase the sensitivity of the test system for polycyclic hydrocarbons and aromatic amines are also studied. The use of Drosophila as an alternative test provides information on:

(i) mutations in germ cells, (ii) in vivo activation, (iii) broad mutation spectrum (base pair substitutions, frameshifts, deletions, etc.) in one single experiment, (iv) relevant dose level which can be expected to lead to a doubling of the human spontaneous mutation frequency.

The Drosophila tests have to be used in all cases in which point mutations in germ cells are considered a possible risk.