Recovery from oxygen poisoning in Drosophila

Abstract

Experiments are reported which show that recovery of normal motion and appearance may be complete without complete recovery of O2 tolerance or normal life span. The same total dose of O2 is less toxic if given intermittently with recovery periods in air at intervals. After sublethal exposures to 7 atm O2, flies are given various recovery periods before their survival time is tested at 6 atm O2. In 56 such experiments, about half the flies recover normal O2 tolerance in about 1 day, whereas in the other half, recovery is less than 30% complete even after 3-7 days. Life span may be shortened by single half-lethal exposures to 1-7 atm O2. Recovery from 3 days at 1 atm O2 is slow or absent after 1 -3 days in air, but more nearly complete in 6-10 days.