A selective screen for transposable element mobilization in Drosophila melanogaster

Area of Science:

• Genetics
• Molecular Biology
• Toxicology

Background:

• Mobile genetic elements (transposons) play roles in genome evolution and can be activated by environmental factors.
• Assays for detecting transposition events are crucial for understanding genotoxicity and mutagenicity.
• Drosophila melanogaster is a powerful model organism for genetic studies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a simple, sensitive, and selective assay for detecting induced mobile element transpositions in Drosophila melanogaster.
• To provide a eukaryotic system for monitoring transposition induction by various agents.
• To present results from a pilot experiment using the developed system.

Main Methods:

• Utilized an X-linked rosy+ transposon system in Drosophila melanogaster.
• Employed a conditional lethal system to enable detection of single transposition events.
• Applied the system to analyze transposition induction in large sample sizes.

Main Results:

• The selective system demonstrates high sensitivity, capable of detecting single transposition events in samples exceeding 10^6 individuals.
• The assay effectively monitors transposition induction by agents such as chemical carcinogens, ionizing radiation, and environmental pollutants.
• A pilot experiment successfully validated the utility of the developed system.

Conclusions:

• The described assay is a valuable tool for the sensitive detection and analysis of induced transpositions in Drosophila.
• This system offers a robust eukaryotic model for assessing the genotoxic and mutagenic potential of diverse agents.
• The findings support the use of this assay for environmental monitoring and toxicological studies.