The effect of mutations altering biogenic amine metabolism in Drosophila on viability and the response to environmental stresses

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Abstract
Dopamine (DA) content, tyrosine decarboxylase (TDC) activity and survival were studied under normal and environmental stress conditions in the ste and e strains carrying ebony mutation increasing DA level and the octopamineless strain TβhnM18 of Drosophila melanogaster. Wild-type strains Canton S and Oregon R, and strain p845 from which TβhnM18 strain was derived were used as controls. Sexual dimorphism of TDC activity, DA content, and survival in flies of all D. melanogaster strains under study was found. TβhnM18 mutation sharply reduced TDC activity in females, while ebony had no such effect. DA content and survival under heat stress in TβhnM18 flies did not differ from those in the wild type. ste and e flies had drastically increased DA content under normal conditions, dramatically decreased survival under heat stress, but increased survival under starvation. DA content and survival under heat stress were also studied in the reciprocal hybrids (males) F1 of the cross D. virilis strains 101 (wild type) and 147 with X-linked mutation, which significantly increases DA content. 147×101 males had a considerably higher DA content and lower survival than 101×147 ones. Individuals of all D. melanogaster strains under study developed the stress reaction, as judged by changes in TDC activity and DA levels. The role of biogenic amines in the stress reaction development and adaptation to environmental stresses in Drosophila is discussed. Arch. Insect Biochem. Physiol. 55:55–67, 2004.