The genetic effects of mitomycin C in Drosophila melanogaster: I. Induced mutations and XY chromosomal interchanges

Abstract

The genetic effects of the alkylating agent mitomycin C (MC) were investigated. MC was found to induce sex-linked recessive lethals in all stages of oogenesis with the highest frequency occurring in meiotic broods. MC-Induced XY and YY interchanges were recovered from both males and females, as well as females homozygous for c3G, thus indicating that the mechanism involved in the generation of these interchanges is independent of spontaneous meiotic crossing-over. These interchanges occur predominantly in gonial cells as indicated by brood analysis. The increased frequency of MC-induced interchanges in gonial broods has been shown to result from gonially induced events that are multiplied by subsequent mitotic divisions. Also, the increased number of females yielding interchanges in the gonial broods suggests that gonial cells are more sensitive to the effects of MC on inducing interchanges. Genetic evidence concerning the division behavior of gonial stem cells is presented.