The method of air pollution level evaluation of urban landscapes on the basis of D. melanogaster cohort analysis has been suggested. The method implies the binding to the landscape areas of the city. Within each landscape area traps and cultivators for D. melanogaster have been installed in sanitary-protective zones of various enterprises as well as on the background territory with the least level of anthropogenic load serving as the control. Based on specifically elaborated technique for field conditions, the amount of eggs, third instar larvae, pupae and imago has been calculated. Then, using the computer program ImageJ, the square under the curves of cohort survival has been determined which is considered overall cohort viability (OCVD.m). The previously mentioned indicator considers cohort survival at all stages of ontogenesis. In addition, the expressed in percentage indicator of oppression (IO OCVD.m) in relevance to the control OCVD. m affects the level of air pollution of urban landscapes by emissions of various enterprises. The relevance between these indicators is determined by a four-level scale elaborated specifically for the purpose. The method has been tested based on technogenic landscapes of Chernivtsi, Ukraine. The sensitivity of the suggested indicator for a wide range of pollutants has been proved and its ability to respond to different levels of greening of similar enterprises has been shown.

Continuous exposure to low levels of toxic substances can be associated with delayed physical disturbances, which can be preceded by changes in enzyme activities and gene expression. Thus, understanding changes in the transcriptional profile could help in recognition of early molecular events involved in the toxicity mechanism of toxicants. Vinylcyclohexene (VCH) and methylmercury (MeHg⁺) are xenobiotics, which do not present a completely elucidated mechanism of toxicity. Metabolites of both compounds have some overlapping chemical properties that involve moderate to high affinity for thiol and selenol groups. In this work, we characterized by deep-sequencing transcriptomic approach the effects of VCH and MeHg⁺ on the mRNA transcriptional profile of adults fruit flies (Drosophila melanogaster) after individual and concomitant exposure to VCH and MeHg⁺. The flies were separated into four groups: control, VCH, MeHg⁺, and VCH + MeHg⁺. After individual exposure, VCH deregulated 38 genes (of which the majority was up-regulated), whereas MeHg⁺ altered 26 genes (i.e., 14 down-regulated). VCH and MeHg⁺ co-exposure changed 72 genes with a high number of genes down-regulated. Together, the results suggest that although the compounds could have some similar protein targets (e.g., sulfhydryl-containing proteins), the transcriptional profile after individual exposures and co-exposure were completely different.

Environmental cues like noise, pressure, and circadian rhythm can affect the hearing ability of human beings. Nevertheless, the complex physiology of the human being does not allow us to understand how these factors can affect hearing and hearing-related behaviors. Conversely, these effects can be easily checked using the hearing organ of Drosophila melanogaster, the Johnston organ. In the current study, the Drosophila was exposed to challenging environments like noise, low pressure, and altered circadian rhythm. The hearing organ of larvae, as well as adults, was analyzed for hearing-related defects. In the third instar larva, the cell deaths were detected in the antenna imaginal disc, the precursor of Johnston’s organ. Elevated levels of reactive oxygen species and antioxidant enzymes were also detected in the adult antennae of environmentally challenged flies. The ultrastructure of the antennae suggests the presence of abundant mitochondria in the scolopidia of control. Fewer amounts of mitochondria are found in the environmentally challenged adult antennae. In adults, various hearing-related behaviors were analyzed as a readout of functionality of the hearing organ. Analysis of climbing, aggressive, and courtship behaviors suggests abnormal behavior in environmentally challenged flies than the control. The current study suggests that the environmental cues can alter hearing-related behaviors in Drosophila. The methods used in this study can be used to monitor the environmental pollution or to study the effect of alteration of noise, pressure, and circadian rhythm on hearing-related behaviors taking Drosophila melanogaster as a model organism. Graphical abstract

Bisphenol A diglycidyl ether (BADGE), a derivative of bisphenol A (BPA), is widely used in the manufacture of epoxy resins as well as a coating on food containers. Recent studies have demonstrated the adverse effects of BADGE on reproduction and development in rodents and amphibians, but how BADGE affects biological activity is not understood. To gain a better understanding of the biological effects of BADGE exposure during development, we used the model organism Drosophila melanogaster and performed whole transcriptome sequencing. Interestingly, when Drosophila are raised on food containing BADGE, genes having significantly increased transcript numbers are enriched for those involved in regulating cell proliferation, including DNA replication and cell cycle control. Furthermore, raising larvae on BADGE-containing food induces hemocyte (blood cell) over-proliferation. This effect can be stimulated with even lower concentrations of BADGE if the hemocytes are already primed for cell proliferation by the expression of dominant active Ras GTPase. We conclude that chronic exposure to the xenobiotic BADGE throughout development can induce cell proliferation.