Chemical impurity produces extra compound eyes and heads in crickets

Effect of Teratogens on Development of Drosophila melanogaster

Prenatal exposure to various environmental teratogens such as drugs, toxins, and infectious etiologies results in a wide range of developmental abnormalities, including growth deficiency, developmental delay, structural defects, functional CNS abnormalities, and fetal death. Here, we describe the use of Drosophila melanogaster as a model organism for investigating teratogenic effects on embryonic development.

Effects of hexahydro-1,3,5-trinitro-1,3,5-triazine (RDX) metabolites on cricket (Acheta domesticus) survival and reproductive success

The effect of two major hexahydro-1,3,5-trinitro-1,3,5-triazine (RDX) metabolites, hexahydro-1-nitroso-3,5-dinitro-1,3,5-triazine (MNX) and hexahydro-1,3,5-trinitroso-1,3,5-triazine (TNX), on cricket (Acheta domesticus) survival and reproduction was studied. RDX metabolites did not have adverse effects on cricket survival, growth, and egg production. However, MNX and TNX did affect egg hatching. MNX and TNX were more toxic in spiked-sand than in topical tests. TNX was more toxic to egg than MNX. Developmental stage and exposure time affected hatching. After 30 days exposure to MNX or TNX, the EC20, EC50, and EC95 were 47, 128, and 247 microg/g for TNX, and 65, 140, and 253 microg/g for MNX in topical tests. The ECs for 20, 50, and 95 were 21, 52, and 99 microg/g for MNX, and 12, 48, and 97 microg/g for TNX in sand. No gross abnormalities in cricket nypmhs were observed in all experiments indicating that neither TNX or MNX is teratogenic in this assay.

Benzoquinolinediones: activity as insect teratogens

Morphological abnormalities including extra compound eyes, extra heads, and distally duplicated legs were generated in cricket embryos by treating eggs with single doses of either benz[g]isoquinoline-5,10-dione or benzo[h]quinoline-5,6-dione. Slight structural modifications of the molecules resulted in a loss of teratogenic activity, although embryotoxicity occurred. These potent insect teratogens can be used for analysis of developmental events during embryogenesis.