Further yearly analyses of spontaneous pink mutant events in the stamen hairs of tradescantia clone BNL 4430 cultivated in the NSC growth chamber

In order to confirm the results obtained in the previous 1-year-term (December 12, 1998, through December 10, 1999) scorings and analyses of spontaneous pink mutant events (PMEs) in the stamen hairs of Tradescantia clone BNL 4430 cultivated in a nutrient solution circulating (NSC) growth chamber, similar scorings and analyses were continued for another 52-week period from December 11, 1999, through December 8, 2000. The environmental conditions were not changed, except for a minor modification in the method of supplying the nutrient solution used. During the scoring period, 732,128 stamen hairs with an average cell number of 24.90 cells were observed, and 2,368 PMEs were detected. The overall spontaneous somatic mutation frequency was 1.35 +/- 0.03 PMEs per 10(4) hair-cell divisions, which was significantly lower than the value of 1.56 +/- 0.03 determined in the previous 52-week period, and the frequencies were lower during April through September than in other months, the period showing lower frequencies lasting 1-month longer than in the previous year. The present results reconfirmed the occurrence of a clear seasonal variation in the spontaneous mutation frequency in the NSC growth chamber, and the lower overall frequency, probably related to the minor modification in supplying the nutrient solution, is helpful for conducting mutagenicity tests at low levels, offering a lower background level. The analyses of the sectoring patterns of all these PMEs showed that the most of the 203 cases of multiple (two to five) pink sectors observed in the same stamen hairs (scored as 253 PMEs for calculating mutation frequency) were the results of events involving somatic recombinations occurred in single cells or cell lineages, rather than those of two or more independent somatic mutations occurred in different cells, agreeing with our previous study, and the significance of somatic recombinations in causing single PMEs was also reconfirmed.     

Analyses of spontaneous pink mutant events in the stamen hairs of Tradescantia clone BNL 4430 cultivated in a nutrient solution circulating growth chamber

In order to obtain more fundamental data on Tradescantia clone BNL 4430, one of the most suitable testers for environmental mutagens, the occurrences of spontaneous somatic pink mutations in the stamen hairs were scored for 52 weeks from 12 December 1998 to 10 December 1999, cultivating the young inflorescence-bearing shoots with roots in a nutrient solution circulating (NSC) growth chamber. The environmental conditions in the chamber were 22.0±0.5°C during the 16 h day with the light intensity of 7.5 klx from white fluorescent tubes, and 20.0±0.5°C at night. During the scoring period, 697,443 stamen hairs with an average cell number of 25.36 were observed and 2642 pink mutant events (PMEs) were detected. The overall spontaneous mutation frequency was 1.56±0.03 PMEs per 10⁴ hair-cell divisions, and the frequency was significantly lower in May, July and August and significantly higher in November and December. By analyzing the sectoring patterns of 1856 PMEs (70.25% of PMEs detected), the most of 172 cases of multiple (two to five) pink sectors observed in the same hairs (scored as 232 PMEs for calculating mutation frequency) were found to be the results of events involving somatic recombinations occurred in single cells or cell lineages, rather than those of two or more independent somatic mutations occurred in different cells. This finding clearly shows the significance of somatic recombinations in producing such multiple sectors (382 sectors in total) which occupied 19.0% of the 2006 pink sectors in total analyzed. Somatic recombinations were considered to be playing a significant role also in producing single PMEs in the stamen hairs.     

Analysis of paternal transmission of mitochondrial DNA in Drosophila

It has previously been shown that paternal mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) can be detected in later generations in Drosophila. To further analyze the paternal transmission of mtDNA, the progeny of two intraspecific and three interspecific crosses were examined in the frequency of the paternal transmission of mtDNA, using closely related species of the melanogaster species subgroup. Types of mtDNA in the progeny of the individual backcrosses of F(1) females were analyzed by selective amplification of paternal mtDNA. More than 100 F(1) females were examined for each backcross. The same type of mtDNA as that of the paternal mtDNA was detected in approximately 20-60% of the backcrosses. The present results indicate that paternal leakage occurs in the intraspecific crosses as well as in the interspecific crosses in Drosophila.     

Analyses of spontaneous pink mutant events in the stamen hairs of Tradescantia clone BNL 4430 cultivated in a nutrient solution circulating growth chamber

In order to obtain more fundamental data on Tradescantia clone BNL 4430, one of the most suitable testers for environmental mutagens, the occurrences of spontaneous somatic pink mutations in the stamen hairs were scored for 52 weeks from 12 December 1998 to 10 December 1999, cultivating the young inflorescence-bearing shoots with roots in a nutrient solution circulating (NSC) growth chamber. The environmental conditions in the chamber were 22.0+/-0.5 degrees C during the 16h day with the light intensity of 7.5klx from white fluorescent tubes, and 20.0+/-0.5 degrees C at night. During the scoring period, 697,443 stamen hairs with an average cell number of 25.36 were observed and 2642 pink mutant events (PMEs) were detected. The overall spontaneous mutation frequency was 1.56+/-0.03 PMEs per 10(4) hair-cell divisions, and the frequency was significantly lower in May, July and August and significantly higher in November and December. By analyzing the sectoring patterns of 1856 PMEs (70.25% of PMEs detected), the most of 172 cases of multiple (two to five) pink sectors observed in the same hairs (scored as 232 PMEs for calculating mutation frequency) were found to be the results of events involving somatic recombinations occurred in single cells or cell lineages, rather than those of two or more independent somatic mutations occurred in different cells. This finding clearly shows the significance of somatic recombinations in producing such multiple sectors (382 sectors in total) which occupied 19.0% of the 2006 pink sectors in total analyzed. Somatic recombinations were considered to be playing a significant role also in producing single PMEs in the stamen hairs.