A U-shaped dose-response relationship between x radiation and sex-linked recessive lethal mutation in male germ cells of Drosophila

We reported previously that low-dose X irradiation of DNA repair-proficient immature sperm of wild-type Drosophila melanogaster at a low dose rate (50 mGy/min) resulted in a mutation frequency that was lower than that in the sham-irradiated group. Therefore, a U-shaped dose-response relationship was suggested. Here we show that the dose-response curve is actually U-shaped by carrying out a large-scale sex-linked recessive lethal assay using Drosophila. No reduction of the mutation frequency was observed in a strain mutant for the nucleotide excision repair gene mei-9a (Drosophila homologue of human XPF). Introduction of a chromosome fragment containing mei-9+ into the mei-9a mutant strain restored the reduction of the mutation frequency in the low-dose-irradiated group. These results showed that DNA repair was responsible for the U-shaped dose-response relationship in Drosophila.

Effects of the Sex Ratio Organism on IN VITRO Differentiation of Drosophila Embryonic Cells

Effects of Sex Ratio Organism (SRO) on the development of embryonic cells of Drosophila melanogaster were studied in vitro. The single embryo culture technique and a histochemical staining method were employed to distinguish male embryo cultures from female ones. SRO-infected Zw(n) females were crossed to wild-type males, and their embryos were separately dissociated and cultured in vitro. Cell growth and differentiation in each culture were examined by phase contrast microscopy and described both qualitatively and quantitatively. Neurons, imaginal disk cells and plasmatocyte-like cells barely differentiated in male (Zw( n)/Y) cultures, whereas muscle and fatbody cells were not so severely affected. These symptoms were generally specific to male cultures. Female (Zw(n)/+) cultures were relatively normal. These observations are consistent with the results of mosaic analysis. The susceptibility of cells to SRO is discussed in relation to the dose of X chromosome in the cells.

Inhibition of UV‐induced G1 arrest by exposure to 50 Hz magnetic fields in repair‐proficient and ‐deficient yeast strains

PURPOSE

To assess the possibility that extremely low frequency (ELF) magnetic fields obstruct the damage repair process, the gene conversion frequency and cell cycle kinetics in a DNA repair-proficient and nucleotide excision repair (NER)-deficient strain of diploid yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

DNA repair- or NER-deficient cells were irradiated with sublethal doses of ultraviolet light (UV) radiation followed by exposure to 50 Hz magnetic fields up to 30 mT for 48 h. After exposure, colony-forming ability was scored as revertants in which gene conversion had restored the functional allele of the ARG4 gene conversion hotspot. Cell cycle analysis was performed using flow cytometry.

RESULTS

Gene conversion rate was increased by the combined exposure in DNA repair-proficient cells, whereas it remained unchanged between UV alone and the combined exposure in NER-deficient cells. The UV-induced G1 arrest was inhibited by exposure to 30 mT ELF magnetic fields in both repair-proficient and -deficient cells.

CONCLUSIONS

The results suggest that exposure to high-density (30 mT) ELF magnetic fields decreases the efficiency of NER by suppressing G1 arrest, which in turn led to enhancement of the UV-induced gene conversion.

Reduction in mutation frequency by very low-dose gamma irradiation of Drosophila melanogaster germ cells

To determine whether the linear no-threshold (LNT) model for stochastic effects of ionizing radiation is applicable to very low-dose radiation at a low dose rate, we irradiated immature male germ cells of the fruit fly, Drosophila melanogaster, with several doses of (60)Co gamma rays at a dose rate of 22.4 mGy/h. Thereafter, we performed the sex-linked recessive lethal mutation assay by mating the irradiated males with nonirradiated females. The mutation frequency in the group irradiated with 500 microGy was found to be significantly lower than that in the control group (P < 0.01), whereas in the group subjected to 10 Gy irradiation, the mutation frequency was significantly higher than that in the control group (P < 0.03). A J-shaped dose-response relationship was evident. Molecular experiments using DNA microarray and quantitative reverse transcription PCR indicated that several genes known to be expressed in response to heat or chemical stress and grim, a positive regulator of apoptosis, were up-regulated immediately after irradiation with 500 microGy. The involvement of an apoptosis function in the non-linear dose-response relationship was suggested.

Rapid myeloid recovery as a possible mechanism of whole-body radioadaptive response

We investigated the mechanism underlying the radioadaptive response that rescues mice from hematopoietic failure. C57BL/6 mice were irradiated with low-dose acute X rays (0.5 Gy) for priming 2 weeks prior to a high-dose (6 Gy) challenge irradiation. Bone marrow cells, erythrocytes and platelets in low-dose-preirradiated mice showed earlier recovery after the challenge irradiation than those in mice subjected only to the challenge irradiation. This suggests that hematopoiesis is enhanced after a challenge irradiation in preirradiated mice. The rapid recovery of bone marrow cells after the challenge irradiation was consistent with the proliferation of hematopoietic progenitors expressing the cell surface markers Lin-, Sca-1- and c-Kit+ in low-dose-preirradiated mice. A subpopulation of myeloid (Mac-1+/Gr-1+) cells, which were descendants of Lin-, Sca-1- and c-Kit+ cells, rapidly recovered in the bone marrow of low-dose-preirradiated mice, whereas the number of B-lymphoid (CD19+/B220+) cells did not show a statistically significant increase. Plasma cytokine profiles were analyzed using antibody arrays, and results indicated that the concentrations of several growth factors for myelopoiesis after the challenge irradiation were considerably increased by low-dose preirradiation. The rapid recovery of erythrocytes and platelets but not leukocytes was observed in the peripheral blood of preirradiated mice, suggesting that low-dose preirradiation triggered the differentiation to myelopoiesis. Thus the adaptive response induced by low-dose preirradiation in terms of the recovery kinetics of the number of hematopoietic cells may be due to the rapid recovery of the number of myeloid cells after high-dose irradiation.

Reduction of background mutations by low-dose X irradiation of Drosophila spermatocytes at a low dose rate

A sex-linked recessive lethal mutation assay was performed in Drosophila melanogaster using immature spermatocytes and spermatogonia irradiated with X rays at a high or low dose rate. The mutation frequency in the sperm irradiated with a low dose at a low dose rate was significantly lower than that in the sham-irradiated group, whereas irradiation with a high dose resulted in a significant increase in the mutation frequency. It was obvious that the dose-response relationship was not linear, but rather was U-shaped. When mutant germ cells defective in DNA excision repair were used instead of wild-type cells, low-dose irradiation at a low dose rate did not reduce the mutation frequency. These observations suggest that error-free DNA repair functions were activated by low dose of low-dose-rate radiation and that this repaired spontaneous DNA damage rather than the X-ray-induced damage, thus producing a practical threshold.

Activation of Antioxidative Enzymes Induced by Low-Dose-Rate Whole‐Body γ Irradiation: Adaptive Response in Terms of Initial DNA Damage

An adaptive response induced by long-term low-dose-rate irradiation in mice was evaluated in terms of the amount of DNA damage in the spleen analyzed by a comet assay. C57BL/ 6N female mice were irradiated with 0.5 Gy of (137)Cs gamma rays at 1.2 mGy/h; thereafter, a challenge dose (0.4, 0.8 or 1.6 Gy) at a high dose rate was given. Less DNA damage was observed in the spleen cells of preirradiated mice than in those of mice that received the challenge dose only; an adaptive response in terms of DNA damage was induced by long-term low-dose-rate irradiation in mice. The gene expression of catalase and Mn-SOD was significantly increased in the spleen after 23 days of the low-dose-rate radiation (0.5 Gy). In addition, the enzymatic activity of catalase corresponded to the gene expression level; the increase in the activity was observed at day 23 (0.5 Gy). These results suggested that an enhancement of the antioxidative capacities played an important role in the reduction of initial DNA damage by low-dose-rate radiation.

A Functional Dosage Compensation Complex Required for Male Killing in Drosophila

Bacteria that selectively kill males ("male-killers") were first characterized more than 50 years ago in Drosophila and have proved to be common in insects. However, the mechanism by which sex specificity of virulence is achieved has remained unknown. We tested the ability of Spiroplasma poulsonii to kill Drosophila melanogaster males carrying mutations in genes that encode the dosage compensation complex. The bacterium failed to kill males lacking any of the five protein components of the complex.

Genotoxic effects of strong static magnetic fields in DNA-repair defective mutants of Drosophila melanogaster

To assess the possibility that strong static magnetic fields cause DNA damage and mutation, we examined the genotoxic effects of magnetic field exposure by using the somatic mutation and recombination test system in DNA repair-proficient and -deficient strains of Drosophila melanogaster. A postreplication repair-defective mutation mei-41D5 and/or a nucleotide excision repair-defective mutation mei-9(a) was introduced into the conventional loss of the heterozygosity assay system by the use of mwh +/ + flr transheterozygotes, and were exposed to static magnetic fields of up to 14 Tesla (T). We found that exposure to 2, 5, or 14 T fields for 24 h caused a statistically significant enhancement in somatic recombination frequency in the postreplication repair-deficient flies, whereas the frequency remained unchanged in the nucleotide excision repair-deficient flies and in the DNA repair-proficient flies after exposure. An increase linearly dependent on the flux density was observed between 0.5 T and 2 T, but it was saturated at exposure levels over 2 T. These findings suggest that exposure to high-density magnetic fields induce somatic recombination in Drosophila and that the dose-response relationship is not linear.

A Threshold Exists in the Dose–Response Relationship for Somatic Mutation Frequency Induced by X Irradiation of Drosophila

The dose-response relationship of ionizing radiation and its stochastic effects has been thought to be linear without any thresholds. The basic data for this model were obtained from mutational assays in the male germ cells of the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster. However, it is more appropriate to examine carcinogenic activity in somatic cells than in germ cells. Here the dose-response relationship of X irradiation and somatic mutation was examined in Drosophila. A threshold at approximately 1 Gy was observed in DNA repair-proficient flies. In the repair-deficient siblings, the threshold was smaller and the inclination of the dose-response curve was much steeper. These results suggest that the dose-response relationship between X irradiation and somatic mutation has a threshold and that the DNA repair function contributes to its formation.

Induction of micronuclei in mice exposed to static magnetic fields

The aim of this experiment was to investigate whether static magnetic fields (SMFs) have cytogenetic effects in mouse bone marrow cells. The frequency of micronuclei was significantly increased by exposure of mice to 3.0 T for 48 and 72 h and 4.7 T for 24, 48 and 72 h. The increase in micronucleus frequency was dose dependent at all times. Micronucleus frequency at 4.7 T was higher than at 3.0 T. We consider that the increased numbers of micronuclei may be attributable to a stress reaction caused by SMFs or a direct clastogenic/spindle disturbance effect of SMFs.

Involvement of eddy currents in the mutagenicity of ELF magnetic fields

Possible carcinogenic and/or mutagenic activity of extremely low frequency magnetic fields was examined using somatic mutation and recombination test system of Drosophila melanogaster. An X-linked semi-dominant DNA repair defective mutation mei-41(D5) was introduced into the conventional mwh/flr test system to enhance mutant spot frequency. Virgin females of w mei-41(D5)/FM6; flr/TM6 were crossed with w mei-41(D5)/Y; mwh jv; spa(pol) males. The F(1) third instar larvae were exposed to a 50Hz, 20mT sinusoidal AC magnetic field for 24h. After moulting from pupal cases, their wings were examined under a bright field microscope to detect hair spots with mwh or flr mutant morphology. The exposure caused a statistically significant enhancement in somatic recombination spot frequency. Mutant spots arising due to chromosomal non-disjunction or terminal deletion also increased but the frequency of spots resulting from point mutation was not altered. The enhancement in the recombination spot frequency was suppressed to the control level when a culture medium without electrolytes was used during exposure. When larvae were exposed to a magnetic field in an annular dish, flies from the outer ring showed more mutant spots compared to those from the inner ring. These results suggest that the detected mutagenic activity was that of the induced eddy current, rather than that of the magnetic field itself.

A 50 Hz, 14 mT magnetic field is not mutagenic or co-mutagenic in bacterial mutation assays

We used bacterial mutation assays to assess the mutagenic and co-mutagenic effects of power frequency magnetic fields (MF). For the former, we exposed four strains of Salmonella typhimurium (TA98, TA100, TA1535, TA1537) and two strains of Escherichia coli (WP2 uvrA, WP2 uvrA/pKM101) to 50Hz, 14mT circularly polarized MF for 48h. All results were negative. For the latter, we treated S. typhimurium (TA98, TA100) and E. coli (WP2 uvrA, WP2 uvrA/pKM101) cells with eight model mutagens (N-ethyl-N'-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine, 2-(2-furyl)-3-(5-nitro-2-furyl) acrylamide, 4-nitroquinoline-N-oxide, 2-aminoanthracene, N(4)-aminocytidine, t-butyl hydroperoxide, cumen hydroperoxide, and acridine orange) with and without the MF. The MF induced no significant, reproducible enhancement of mutagenicity. We also investigated the effect of MF on mutagenicity and co-mutagenicity of fluorescent light (ca. 900lx for 30min) with and without acridine orange on the most sensitive tester strain, E. coli WP2 uvrA/pKM101. Again, we observed no significant difference between the mutation rates induced with and without MF. Thus, a 50Hz, 14mT circularly polarized MF had no detectable mutagenic or co-mutagenic potential in bacterial tester strains under our experimental conditions. Nevertheless, some evidence supporting a mutagenic effect for power frequency MFs does exist; we discuss the potential mechanisms of such an effect in light of the present study and studies done by others.

Mutagenicity and co-mutagenicity of static magnetic fields detected by bacterial mutation assay

Possible mutagenic and co-mutagenic effects of strong static magnetic fields were estimated using bacterial mutagenicity test. Mutagenic potential of static magnetic fields up to 5T (T:1T=10,000 G) was not detected by the bacterial mutagenicity test using four strains of Salmonella typhimurium (TA98, TA100, TA1535 and TA1537) and Escherichia coli WP2 uvrA either in the pre-incubation method or in the plate incorporation method. In the co-mutagenicity test, E. coli WP2 uvrA cells were treated with various chemical mutagens and were simultaneously exposed to a 2T or a 5T static magnetic field. Mutation rate in the exposed group was significantly higher than that in the non-exposed group when cells were treated with N-ethyl-N'-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine (ENNG), N-methyl-N'-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine (MNNG), ethylmethanesulfonate (EMS), 4-nitroquinoline-N-oxide (4-NQO), 2-amino-3-methyl-3H-imidazo[4,5-f]quinoline (IQ) or 2-(2-furyl)-3-(5-nitro-2-furyl) acrylamide (AF-2). The mutagenicity of 2-aminoanthracene (2-AA), 9-aminoacridine (9-AA), N4-aminocytidine and 2-acetoamidofluorene (2-AAF) was not affected by the magnetic field exposure. Possible mechanisms of the co-mutagenicity of magnetic fields are discussed.

Increase in the mitotic recombination frequency in Drosophila melanogaster by magnetic field exposure and its suppression by vitamin E supplement

In order to estimate possible mutagenic and/or carcinogenic activity of electromagnetic fields, wing spot tests were performed in Drosophila melanogaster. A DNA repair defective mutation mei-41D5 was introduced into the conventional mwh/flr test system to enhance mutant spot frequency. Third instar larvae were exposed to a 5-Tesla static magnetic field for 24 h, and after molting, wings were examined under a microscope to detect hair spots with mutant morphology. The exposure caused a statistically significant enhancement of somatic recombination compared with the unexposed control. This enhancement was suppressed to the control level by supplement of vitamin E, a non-specific antioxidant. It is inferred that the magnetic field enhanced the genotoxic effect of spontaneously produced free radicals, possibly by affecting the lifetime of the radicals. Enhancement of non-disjunction, terminal deletions and gene mutations were not detected.

Pseudomonas fluorescens KKL101, a benzoic acid degrader in a mixed culture that degrades biphenyl and polychlorinated biphenyls

A mixed culture we had isolated, which degrades biphenyl/polychlorinated biphenyls, is composed of two strains, Pseudomonas fluorescens KKL101 and Pseudomonas sp. strain KKS102. KKS102 produces benzoic acid as a dead-end metabolite in the degradation of biphenyl. In this study we showed that KKL101 grew on benzoic acid as a sole source of carbon. This indicated a role of KKS102 in the growth of KKL101 and KKL101 for the growth of KKS102 in the mixed culture.

Cloning and sequencing of two tandem genes involved in degradation of 2,3-dihydroxybiphenyl to benzoic acid in the polychlorinated biphenyl-degrading soil bacterium Pseudomonas sp. strain KKS102

Two genes involved in the degradation of biphenyl were isolated from a gene library of a polychlorinated biphenyl-degrading soil bacterium, Pseudomonas sp. strain KKS102, by using a broad-host-range cosmid vector, pKS13. When a 3.2-kilobase (kb) PstI fragment of a 29-kb cosmid DNA insert was subcloned into pUC18 at the PstI site downstream of the lacZ promoter, Escherichia coli cells carrying this recombinant plasmid expressed 2,3-dihydroxybiphenyl dioxygenase activity. Nucleotide sequencing of the 3.2-kb PstI fragment revealed that there were two open reading frames (ORFI [882 base pairs] and ORFII [834 base pairs], in this gene order). Results of analysis of Tn5 insertion mutants and unidirectional deletion mutants suggested that the ORFI coded for 2,3-dihydroxybiphenyl dioxygenase. When the sequence of ORFI was compared with that of bphC of Pseudomonas pseudoalcaligenes KF707 (K. Furukawa, N. Arima, and T. Miyazaki, J. Bacteriol. 169:427-429, 1987), the homology was 68%, with both strains having the same Shine-Dalgarno sequence. The result of gas chromatography-mass spectrometry analysis of the metabolic product suggested that the ORFII had meta cleavage compound hydrolase activity to produce benzoic acid. DNA sequencing suggested that these two genes were contained in one operon.

Isolation and characterization of flightless mutants in Drosophila melanogaster

Since animal behaviour is executed through neuronal circuits including sensory receptors and muscle, genes vital for their development and differentiation must be found among mutants having behavioural anomaly. After mutagenesis with ethyl methanesulphonate (EMS), we screened for X-linked flightless mutants of Drosophila melanogaster by using column-type flight tester. Approximately 10(4) individuals were screened and 21 mutant genes were isolated. Chromosomal mapping and complementation experiments revealed that they belong to 15 cistrons randomly located on X chromosome, three cistrons having more than two alleles. Two of the isolated mutants (fltO2 and fltH, which are recessive both behaviourally and morphologically) were analysed with the mosaic fate mapping technique, and both were found to have their primary foci in mesodermal region of blastoderm, suggesting that the genes exert their primary effect in indirect flight muscle. Electronmicroscopic studies on the muscles from four alleles of the fltO2 cistron revealed an abnormality in myofibrillar arrangement. A possible deficit within Z-band components is discussed in relation to wings-up B mutants. The indirect flight muscle of flltH was also examined, and it was found that sarcomere length and diameter of myofibrils were abnormal. It was postulated that a possible factor which controls size of myofibrils is defective in this mutant. These examples indicate the advantage of combining ultrastructural examination with genetic mosaic mapping technique.

Isolation and characterization of flightless mutants in Drosophila melanogaster

Since animal behaviour is executed through neuronal circuits including sensory receptors and muscle, genes vital for their development and differentiation must be found among mutants having behavioural anomaly. After mutagenesis with ethyl methanesulphonate (EMS), we screened for X-linked flightless mutants of Drosophila melanogaster by using a column-type flight tester. Approximately 104 individuals were screened and 21 mutant genes were isolated. Chromosomal mapping and complementation experiments revealed that they belong to 15 cistrons randomly located on X chromosome, three cistrons having more than two alleles. Two of the isolated mutants (AtO2 and AtH, which are recessive both behaviourally and morphologically) were analysed with the mosaic fate mapping technique, and both were found to have their primary foci in mesodermal region of blastoderm, suggesting that the genes exert their primary effect in indirect flight muscle.

Electronmicroscopic studies on the muscles from four alleles of the AtO2 cistron revealed an abnormality in myofibrillar arrangement. A possible deficit within Z-band components is discussed in relation to wings-up B mutants. The indirect flight muscle of AltH was also examined, and it was found that sarcomere length and diameter of myofibrils were abnormal. It was postulated that a possible factor which controls size of myofibrils is defective in this mutant. These examples indicate the advantage of combining ultrastructural examination with genetic mosaic mapping technique.