The induction of chromosome aberrations by cis-platinum(II) diamminodichloride in Drosophila melanogaster.

We have determined the in vivo effects of cis-platinum(II)diamminodichloride (cis-PDD) treatment on the induction of chromosome aberrations in Drosophila melanogaster germ cells. cis-PDD treatment induces significant increases in chromosome breakage in all stages of spermatogenesis in a battery of test systems using ring or rod-X males and repair-proficient or deficient females. Since no increase in nondisjunction was induced by cis-PDD in either male or female germ cells, any aneuploidy inducing effects of this compound should result from its clastogenic action. We also find that mei-9 excision repair function is involved in the repair of cis-PDD-induced DNA lesions in a manner that provides additional evidence that partial and ring chromosome losses are not completely homologous.