PgmNr D1355: Genetic variation and mechanisms of paraquat susceptibility in D. melanogaster.

Authors:
Pamela Lovejoy 1 ; Kate Foley 1,2 ; Anthony Fiumera 1


Institutes
1) Binghamton University, Binghamton, NY; 2) Tufts University, Boston, MA.


Keyword: neural degeneration

Abstract:

It is estimated that over a billion pounds of pesticides are applied each year in the United States. Many of these pesticides have potentially detrimental effects on non-target organisms, including humans. Paraquat is a commonly used herbicide in the U.S. that is known to increase oxidative stress in Drosophila melanogaster and many other organisms. Increased oxidative stress of the mitochondria leads to dopaminergic cell death and loss of motor ability, which results in a model of Parkinson’s disease. The response of D. melanogaster to common pesticides, such as paraquat, can be informative of their effect on other non-target organisms. The purpose of this work is to map the genetic basis for natural variation affecting low-dose paraquat susceptibility in D. melanogaster. In order to quantify the naturally occurring variation in susceptibility to paraquat that exists, one hundred lines from the Drosophila Genetic Reference Panel (DGRP) were assayed for climbing ability under control conditions and after exposure to paraquat. Paraquat reduces climbing ability in both males and females but males show much greater variation in susceptibility.  A GWAS was used to map 31 and 15 genes in males and females respectively, which contribute to susceptibility to paraquat. A subset of these are being verified using RNAi. In addition, these results will also be compared via correlations and genetic network analyses to other measures of susceptibility that have been determined in the DGRP lines. This comparison may perhaps reveal correlated responses or tradeoffs in response to different xenobiotics, and also compare genes involved in susceptibility to paraquat at different concentrations.