Frequencies of chromosomal inversions in Drosophila melanogaster in Fukushima after the nuclear power plant accident

• DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0192096
• Publication Date: 2018-02-08T18:36:56Z
• Authors: Masanobu Itoh; Ryutaro Kajihara; Yasuko Kato; Toshiyuki Takano-...; Yutaka Inoue
• Keywords: Fukushima Nuclear Accident; Chromosomal inversion; Nuclear DNA; Melanogaster; radioactive contamination

In order to investigate genetic impact of a large amount radionuclides released by the Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Plant accident in 2011, we surveyed 2,304 haploid genomes Drosophila melanogaster collected three localities 2012 and 2013 for chromosomal inversions. No unique inversion was found 298 only two 2,006 2013. The observed frequencies were even lower than long-term average frequency inversions Japan. common cosmopolitan also examined Fukushima, Kyoto, Iriomote (Okinawa) 2012. Among samples flies Iizaka, where environmental radiation level highest, showed lowest In(2L)t, but highest In(3R)P, contrary expectation decreasing their higher polluted areas. These results suggest that, at this analysis, populations D. would not have been negatively impacted following release radionuclides. Transposable P-element mobility likely induce DNA damage solely or synergistically with radioactivity, because transposition activity totally repressed strains. However, it should be noted limitations access exclusion zone, could sample areas relatively low radioactive contamination (0.39–0.63 μSv/h). Therefore, present study is underpowered detect any effects that might expected heavily contaminated