<i>Drosophila melanogaster </i>as a Bioindicator in Comparative Copper and Lead Toxicology: Exploring the Health Implications of Heavy Metal Exposure

Drosophila melanogaster serves as a important research model both for genetic investigations and for the study of metal toxicity, facilitating the elucidation of physiological mechanisms comparable to those of human organisms. In our research, we evaluated the toxicity effect resulting from exposure to various concentrations of lead and copper on the prolificity rates throughout the life cycle (egg-adult) of four genotypes of Drosophila melanogaster: wild-type (control), white, brown, and white-vestigial. During our study, the prolificity rates were examined across three repetitions under the impact of exposure to concentrations of 0.50, 1.00, 2.00, and 4.00 mM of copper (CuSO4) and lead (Pb(C2H3O2)2). Prolificity rates throughout the life cycle exhibited variations as a direct consequence of genetic factors, the concentration of exposure, and the specific type of metal, either copper or lead. The mutant white-vestigial genotype revealed an IC50 concentration for prolificity inhibition at lower doses of 2.00 mM for copper and 4.00 mM for lead, in contrast to the control genotype (wild-type), which exhibited an inhibition concentration rate &gt;IC50 of 4.00 mM only in the case of copper. Our results concluded that the (i) dose influences the prolificity rate in a directly proportional manner, (ii) comparative analyses between copper and lead revealed that copper displayed toxicity across all genotypes within the concentration range of 0.50 mM to 2.00 mM. In contrast, lead exhibited toxicity within the concentration range of 1.00 mM to 4.00 mM, highlighting a (iii) more acute toxicity characteristic in the case of copper. Thus, the results of this research reflect the importance of using Drosophila melanogaster as a genetic model in the comparative study of the interaction between genetic factors and the toxicity of metals, offering significant insights into monitoring their impact and defining the maximum permissible doses on organisms.