[Study on genetic radioresistance of natural Drosophila Melanogaster population from radionuclide contaminated regions of Byelarus].

Over the period from 1998 to 2000 adaptation to unfavorable ecological factors was revealed to be formed in natural Drosophila melanogaster populations from various regions of Belarus with increased radiation background due to the Chernobyl accident. This adaptation was shown to be of non-specific character, since the populations from radiation regions were more resistant to the effect of not only factors of physical nature (irradiation), but also to that of chemical mutagen ethylmethanesulphonate. Assessment of population resistance was carried out by means of tests of dominant lethal mutations and recessive sex-linked lethal mutations.