The effects of microgravity on the character of progeny of Drosophila melanogaster.
To study how the microgravitational environment influences the character of the progeny of Drosophila melanogaster, the S1 insects produced during the 8-days of space flight were self-bred for four generations. Higher variational rate was found in S2. After removing the variant flies, the variational rate of the remaining Drosophila progeny decreased generation by generation. There was no notable sex-linked recessive lethal mutation of parent flies and no gene mutation found in their test-cross examination. It indicates that the germ-cell of parent adult flies were not much influenced by microgravity, but the embryo of filial generation bred in space were greatly influenced by microgravity. Therefore, the mutagenesis during the embryogenic development should be taken into account in the bio-breeding under the space microgravitational environment.
Li
X G
XG
Institute of Space Medico-Engineering, Beijing, P.R. China.
Wang
G Z
GZ
D000818:Animals; D003307:Copulation; D003359:Cosmic Radiation; D004331:Drosophila melanogaster / Q000196:embryology* / Q000235:genetics* / Q000254:growth & development / Q000528:radiation effects; D004625:Embryo, Nonmammalian / Q000528:radiation effects; D047108:Embryonic Development; D005260:Female; D008297:Male; D016296:Mutagenesis; D009154:Mutation; D010641:Phenotype; D011829:Radiation Dosage; D012098:Reproduction; D013026:Space Flight / Q000295:instrumentation*; D013819:Thermoluminescent Dosimetry; D014893:Weightlessness