Failure to detect an antimutagenic effect of chloramphenicol in ultraviolet-treated polar cap cells (early germ track) of Drosophila.

Abstract

The ultraviolet-induced rate of second chromosome lethals in Drosophila was not significantly reduced by posttreatment of ultraviolet-treated polar-cap cells (the earlygerm track) with chloramphenicol, even when the parents of the treated eggs and the developing embryos were in addition reared on chloramphenicol-containing food, as indicated by the following data: ultraviolet- induced rate without chloramphenicol posttreatment, 2.0 450 deg C in a 0.7 percent; with posttreatment, 1.3 450 deg C in a 0.7 percent. The control rate was 0.7 450 deg C in a 0.3 percent. Although the ultraviolet-induced rate was rather low (2.0 450 deg C in a 0.7 percent), the rate ofter chloramphenicol treatment (1.3 450 deg C in a 0.7 percent) was still close enough to the induced rate to indicate that the chloramphenicol was not obliterating the induced rate, contrary to what would have occurred in the case of bacteria. (auth)