Authors: VOLKAN KELEŞ, KEMAL BÜYÜKGÜZEL, ENDER BÜYÜKGÜZEL

Abstract: The effects of an aminoglycoside antibiotic, streptomycin, on survival rate, development time, and adult longevity of Drosophila melanogaster (Diptera: Drosophilidae) were examined by adding on the artificial diet at different concentrations in laboratory condition. The effect of streptomycin on malondialdehyde (MDA) and protein carbonyl (PCO) contents, superoxide dismutase (SOD), and catalase (CAT) activities in all developmental stages of D. melanogaster was also investigated. First-instar larvae were reared into diets with 600 mg/L, 1200 mg/L, and 1800 mg/L of streptomycin concentrations and were fed until the adult emergence. The highest concentration of streptomycin significantly reduced the survival rates of all development stages and the adult longevity of insect when compared to the control diet without streptomycin. Time to the adult stage was 7.73 ± 0.29 days in control, this developmental time in the highest concentration of streptomycin extended to 9.65 ± 0.65 days. Also, MDA content in the highest concentration of streptomycin significantly increased when compared to the control diet in the adult stage. Relative to the control, all concentrations of streptomycin significantly increased the PCO content. SOD activity was reduced in all stages of the insect. Similar results were obtained in CAT activity in the larval and pupal stages. Our results showed that experimented dietary streptomycin concentrations dramatically increased PCO content and caused significant alternations on SOD-CAT activity with the negative effects on the survival and development of D. melanogaster.

Keywords: Drosophila melanogaster, streptomycin, survival rate, development time, antioxidant enzymes

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