Evaluation of genetic damage induced by 8-ethoxycaffeine in Drosophila melanogaster.

The methylated oxypurine, 8-ethoxycaffeine (EOC), was tested for the induction of genetic damage in Drosophila melanogaster. Sex-linked recessive lethals, sex-chromosome loss and tanslocation induction were studied following treatment of adult males, using a feeding technique. Our results show that EOC induces sex-chromosome loss and translocations between the second and third chromosomes, but is unable to induce point mutations in male germ cells under our conditions of testing.