Journal of cellular physiologyMar 7, 2017

Effects of Lower Natural Radiation on Fruit Fly Growth and Development

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Updated Mar 29, 2026

Abstract

Drosophila melanogaster exposed to a reduced radiation environment showed potential effects on development and viability across generations.

Cells from the Gran Sasso Underground Laboratory exhibited impaired responses to internal damage compared to those grown outside.
Chronic low doses of radiation may play a role in developing cellular defense mechanisms.
Drosophila strains grown in a low radiation setting displayed differences in lifespan, motility, and fertility.
The impact of reduced radiation on Drosophila development varied depending on genetic background.
Flies moved back to normal radiation levels may still show altered viability for several generations.

Simplified

Natural background radiation of Earth and cosmic rays played a relevant role during the evolution of living organisms. However, how chronic low doses of radiation can affect biological processes is still unclear. Previous data have indicated that cells grown at the Gran Sasso Underground Laboratory (LNGS, L'Aquila) of National Institute of Nuclear Physics (INFN) of Italy, where the dose rate of cosmic rays and neutrons is significantly reduced with respect to the external environment, elicited an impaired response against endogenous damage as compared to cells grown outside LNGS. This suggests that environmental radiation contributes to the development of defense mechanisms at cellular level. To further understand how environmental radiation affects metabolism of living organisms, we have recently launched the FLYINGLOW program that aims at exploiting Drosophila melanogaster as a model for evaluating the effects of low doses/dose rates of radiation at the organismal level. Here, we will present a comparative data set on lifespan, motility and fertility from different Drosophila strains grown in parallel at LNGS and in a reference laboratory at the University of L'Aquila. Our data suggest the reduced radiation environment can influence Drosophila development and, depending on the genetic background, may affect viability for several generations even when flies are moved back to normal background radiation. As flies are considered a valuable model for human biology, our results might shed some light on understanding the effect of low dose radiation also in humans.

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Effects of Lower Natural Radiation on Fruit Fly Growth and Development

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