Some Effects of Thiotepa on Drosophila melanogaster Meigen

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Abstract
Thiotepa (tris (1-aziridinyl) phosphine sulfide) in the food sterilizes larvae, and applied topically or in vapor form sterilizes adult flies of Drosophila melanogaster. The duration of sterility increases with dosage. Adult males may be sterilized irreversibly while retaining motility of the sperm, but without reducing mating aggressiveness, longevity, acceptability by the females, or fecundity. Complete sterility of newly emerged males was obtained by topical application of 0.5 ‘g per fly or exposure to thiotepa vapors (1 mg per 200 ml flask) for 2 hours at 32°C. Newly emerged females required 1.0 ‘g per fly or 3 hours' exposure to vapors for complete sterility. The 24-hour LD50 by topical application was between 2.5 and 5.0 μg per fly for mixed sexes. Inseminated females are made sterile with lower topically applied dosages than that required to produce irreversible sterility in the newly emerged female. When treated 15 minutes or 2½ hours after mating, no viable eggs were produced. When treated 48 hours after mating a few viable eggs were laid during the first few hours after treatment and only nonviable eggs thereafter up to 8 hours of observation. The sperm from treated males did not appear to compete for storage space in the female as successfully as the sperm from untreated males.