title: Low-activity allele of copper-zinc superoxide dismutase (CuZnSOD) in Drosophila increases paraquat genotoxicity but does not affect near UV radiation damage.
abstract: Different types of mutations and DNA-damage profiles induced by near-UV radiation and the superoxide anion (O2-.) indicate separate lesions and (or) mechanisms of mutagenesis. Despite a wealth of data, it is still unclear whether variations in the activity levels of antioxidant enzymes naturally present in suboptimal concentrations are among the underlying causes of the increase of near UV radiation genotoxicity. We incorporated a low-activity allele of copper-zinc superoxide dismutase (CuZnSOD), recovered from natural populations of Drosophila melanogaster, into standard marked strains and employed a somatic mutation and recombination test (SMART) to compare paraquat and near UV radiation genotoxicity in these strains. Our results show that, although the low-activity CuZnSOD allele of D. melanogaster confers hypersensitivity to paraquat, the near UV radiation damage was not affected.
authors.affiliation: Cardiff School of Biosciences, Cardiff University, Wales, United Kingdom. vontasj@cardiff.ac.uk
authors.forename: J G
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Vontas
authors.forename: S C
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Tsakas
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Loukas
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hemingway
mesh_terms: D000483:Alleles; D000818:Animals; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000494:pharmacology; D003433:Crosses, Genetic; D004247:DNA / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000528:radiation effects*; D004249:DNA Damage; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004307:Dose-Response Relationship, Radiation; D004330:Drosophila / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000235:genetics*; D005260:Female; D005838:Genotype; D006540:Herbicides / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008297:Male; D009153:Mutagens / Q000494:pharmacology; D009154:Mutation; D010269:Paraquat / Q000494:pharmacology*; D011836:Radiation Tolerance; D011995:Recombination, Genetic; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase / Q000235:genetics*; D014466:Ultraviolet Rays
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D006540:Herbicides; D009153:Mutagens; D004247:DNA; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase; D010269:Paraquat