Mutagenicity of derivatives of the flame retardant tris(2,3-dibromopropyl) phosphate: halogenated propanols.

The sensitivity of larval populations of Drosophila melanogaster to the lethal action of methyl methanesulfonate (MMS) was determined. Wild-type strains were compared with strains carrying X-linked mutations that increase mutagen sensitivity. The determination of dose—response relationships for MMS-induced lethality allowed for a quantitative comparison of the MMS sensitivity of the mutants. The sensitivity difference, measured by the LD-50 values, between the most resistant and the most sensitive stock used in this study was 40-fold. Stocks containing mutations in the meiotic genes mei-41 and mei-9 were by far the most sensitive ones. These mutants are known to be repair-deficient.The meiotic mutants were tested in various stocks with different genetic backgrounds. It turned out that the larval MMS sensitivity strongly depended on the genotype of the parental females used to obtain the larval populations for MMS treatment. These maternal effects were not simulated by an age-dependent variation in MMS sensitivity because no differences in developmental time between the strains with different genetic constitution were found. Furthermore, a maternal effect on the relative frequency of spontaneous lethality of genetically identical mutant progeny derived from different types of female was demonstrated.These maternal effects, both on spontaneous lethality and on larval MMS sensitivity, are of interest because they extend beyond the embryonic stages of development.