Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

A study of the oxygen consumption of normal and lethal embryos of Drosophila melanogaster

  • Published:
Zeitschrift für Induktive Abstammungs- und Vererbungslehre Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Summary

  1. 1.

    A simple capillary microrespirometer was used to compare the oxygen consumption of normal, +/+ and +/Df(2)vg B, eggs of Drosophila melanogaster with that in the embryonic lethal type Df(2)vg B/Df(2)vg Bthroughout development.

  2. 2.

    The oxygen consumed per hour per egg for the normals rose from an average value of 0·0268 cu.mm. during the first four hours of development to a value of 0·0478 cu.mm. during the 17th to 20th hour period.

  3. 3.

    There also occurred an increase in oxygen consumed by the lethal embryos during the first seven hours of development which did not differ significantly from the normal increase. After the eighth hour the rate of oxygen consumption for the homozygous deficient eggs decreased to a value of about 0·018 cu.mm. after the 14th hour of development. Approximately this level of oxygen utilization was then maintained through the normal development period. In eggs 49 hours old the rate was still 0·016 cu.mm.

  4. 4.

    The respiratory rate for unfertilized eggs, which was only slightly lower than that for the controls during the second hour, decreased rapidly during the subsequent four hours of aging to a value of 0·011 cu.mm. The decrease to a rate of 0·0064 cu.mm. at 22 hours was more gradual. The oxygen consumed by the unfertilized eggs during the latter half of development was 1/3 to 1/2 that for the lethal embryos.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

Literature

  • Bodine, J. H.: Factors influencing the rate of respiratory metabolism of a developing egg (Orthoptera). Physiologic. Zool. 2, 459 (1929).

    Google Scholar 

  • Boell, E. J., and D. F. Poulson: The respiratory metabolism of normal and genetically deficient eggs of Drosophila melanogaster. Anat. Rec. 75, 65 (1939).

    Google Scholar 

  • A comparative study of cholinesterase activity in normal and genetically deficient strains of Drosophila melanogaster. Biol. Bull. Mar. Biol. Labor. Wood's Hole 91, 228 (1946).

    Google Scholar 

  • Bull, A. L.: Embryonic lethality in Drosophila melanogaster produced by overlapping deficiencies at the vestigial locus. Diss. Yale University 1952.

  • Bull, A. L., and T. O. Sippel: Unpublished (1951).

  • Burkholder, J. R.: A quantitative study of respiratory metabolism in single developing eggs (Orthoptera). Physiologic. Zool. 7, 247 (1934).

    Google Scholar 

  • Chen, P. S.: A comparative study of the oxygen consumption in the three lethal mutants “ltr”, “lgl”, and “lme” of Drosophila melanogaster. Z. Vererbungslehre 84, 38 (1951).

    Google Scholar 

  • The rate of oxygen consumption in the lethal hybrid between Triton ♀ and Salamandra ♂. Exper. Cell. Res. 5, 275 (1953).

    Google Scholar 

  • Fink, D. E.: Metabolism during embryonic and metamorphic development of insects. J. Gen. Physiol. 7, 527 (1925).

    Google Scholar 

  • Gluecksohn-Waelsch, S.: Physiological genetics of the mouse. Adv. Genet. 4, 1 (1951).

    Google Scholar 

  • Hadorn, E.: Developmental action of lethal factors in Drosophila. Adv. Genet. 4, 53 (1951).

    Google Scholar 

  • Hadorn, E., and P. S. Chen: Untersuchungen zur Phasenspezifität der Wirkung von Letalfaktoren bei Drosophila melanogaster. Arch. Klaus-Stiftg 27, 147 (1952).

    Google Scholar 

  • Hadorn, E., and E. Stumm-Zollinger: Untersuchungen zur biochemischen Auswirkung der Mutation “letal-translucida” (ltr) von Drosophila melanogaster. Rev. suisse Zool. 60, 506 (1953).

    Google Scholar 

  • Inhelder, E.: Atmungs-intensität von Drosophila melanogaster während der Embryonal- und Larvenentwicklung. Diplomarbeit, Univ. Zürich 1949.

  • Kaliss, N.: The effect on development of a lethal deficiency in Drosophila melanogaster: with a description of the normal embryo at the time hatching. Genetics 24, 244 (1939).

    Google Scholar 

  • Lüthi, H. R.: Die Differenzierungsleistungen von Transplantaten der letalen Bastardkombination Triton ♀ × Salamandra ♂. Roux' Arch. 138, 423 (1938).

    Google Scholar 

  • Morgan, T. H., C. B. Bridges, and J. Schultz: Constitution of the germinal material in relation to heredity. Carnegie Inst. Wash. Yr. Bk. 37, 304 (1938).

    Google Scholar 

  • Poulson, D. F.: The effects of certain X-chromosome deficiencies on the embryonic development of Drosophila melanogaster. J. of Exper. Zool. 83, 271 (1940).

    Google Scholar 

  • Schönmann, W.: Der diploide Bastard Triton palmatus ♀ × Salamandra ♂. Roux' Arch. 138, 345 (1938).

    Google Scholar 

  • Slifer, E. H.: Removing the shell from living grasshopper eggs. Science (Lancaster, Pa.) 102, 282 (1945).

    Google Scholar 

  • Sonnenblick, B. P.: The early embryology of Drosophila melanogaster. Biology of Drosophila. Ed. M. Demerec. New York: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. 1950.

    Google Scholar 

  • Tuft, P. H.: Respiration, growth, and metabolism of the insect egg. Exper. Cell Res., Suppl. 1, 545 (1949).

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Zoology and Comparative Anatomy, University of Zürich, Switzerland

    Alice Louise Bull

  2. Mount Holyoke College, South Hadley, Mass., USA

    Alice Louise Bull

Authors
  1. Alice Louise Bull
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Additional information

With 1 figure in the text.

I should like to express my sincere appreciation to Prof. E. Hadorn for the generous hospitality of his laboratory during the course of this work and for his advice on many aspects of the problem. I am also very grateful to Dr. P. S. Chen who taught me the method used for measuring oxygen consumption and who gave continuous help throughout the experimental work and in the analysis of the results and the writing of the manuscript. — My sincere thanks are also due the American Association of University Women, who made possible this year at the University of Zürich, through the award of the Florence R. Sabin fellowship.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Bull, A.L. A study of the oxygen consumption of normal and lethal embryos of Drosophila melanogaster . Z.Ver-erbungslehre 86, 134–142 (1954). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00308441

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00308441

Keywords

Search

Navigation