Differences between natural ageing and radio-induced shortening of the life expectancy in Drosophila melanogaster.
Adult Drosophila aged 1,4 or 8 days were irradiated with a 60Co source, supplying 1,000 rpm, at doses of 0, 15, 20, 25, 50 and 75 kr. In either sex, radio-induced death seems to arise from different mechanisms to those of natural death. The post-radiative response, however, is different for the two sexes, radiosensitivity in females is dependent on their state of physiological maturity i.e. at 20 and 25 kr sensitivity decreased with age. In males, in return, radiosensitivity is not directly correlated to age, death occurs at a fixed period after irradiation.
D000375:Aging; D000818:Animals; D004331:Drosophila melanogaster / Q000528:radiation effects*; D005260:Female; D008297:Male; D011832:Radiation Injuries; D012737:Sex Factors