VIABILITY IN DROSOPHILA-MELANOGASTER IN RELATION TO AGE AND ADH ACTIVITY OF EGGS TRANSFERRED TO ETHANOL FOOD

Egg-to-adult survival of Adh genotypes of Drosophila melanogaster on ethanol food appears to depend on the age at which the eggs are transferred from regular to ethanol-containing food. Young eggs give much higher viability than old eggs. This seems to be due to an increased ethanol tolerance in eggs exposed to ethanol medium. Additionally it is shown that ADH activity in ethanol-treated eggs has increased as compared with non-treated eggs. It is argued, however, that it is not this increase in ADH activity but other, still unknown, factors which are responsible for ethanol tolerance in eggs and larvae. The relation between ADH activity and fitness of Adh genotypes in environments containing alcohols is discussed. © 1979 The Genetical Society of Great Britain.