Temperature-dependence of repair of sublethal radiation damage in Drosophila

Adult male Drosophila were irradiated with a total dose of 60 krad either as a single dose or in two equal fractions with a 24 hr interval spent at 3, 6.5, 10, or 25°C. There was a 14% increase in life span when the radiation-free interval was spent at 25°C, indicating the occurrence of repair. There was no increase in life span when the interval was spent at the lower temperatures. Repair is thus dependent upon temperature and presumably involves metabolically active processes in this predominantly postmitotic organism.