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Mutagen sensitivity of an insecticide-resistant strain of Drosophila melanogaster to ethyl methanesulfonate. Comparison with a standard straint

A. Velázques; N. Xamena, A. Creus; R. Marcos

Unitat de Genètica, Departament de Genètica i Microbiologia, Universitat Autènoma de Barcelona, 08193 Bellaterra, Spain. Send correspondence to R.M.

ABSTRACT

Two strains of Drosophila melanogaster, one resistant (MRA) and the other sensitive (BK) to several insecticides, were examined for mutability after treatment with the well known alkylating agent ethyl methanesulfonate (EMS).
The results of sex-linked recessive lethal induction indicated that, although the standard strain is more sensitive to the mutagenic effects of EMS, with a mutation induction level nearly twofold the value obtained for the MRA strain, both strains are sufficiently sensitive, showing a dose-dependent increase in mutability in post-meiotic male germ cells.

Keywords: mutagen; sensitivity; insecticide; Drosophila melanogaster; ethyl methanesulfonate.

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