Benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene and xylene, also known as BTEX, are released into environmental media by petroleum product exploratory and exploitative activities and are harmful to humans and animals. Testing the effects of these chemicals on a significantly large scale requires an inexpensive, rapidly developing model organism such as Drosophila melanogaster. In this study, the toxicological profile of benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, p-xylene, m-xylene, and o-xylene in D. melanogaster was evaluated. Adult animals were monitored for acute toxicity effects. Similarly, first instar larvae reared separately on the same compounds were monitored for the ability to develop into adult flies (eclosion). Further, the impact of fixed concentrations of benzene and xylene on apoptosis and mitosis were investigated in adult progenitor tissues found in third instar larvae. Toluene is the most toxic to adult flies with an LC₅₀ of 0.166 mM, while a significant and dose-dependent decrease in fly eclosion was observed with benzene, p-xylene, and o-xylene. An increase in apoptosis and mitosis was also observed in animals exposed to benzene and p-xylene. Through Genome Wide Association Screening (GWAS), 38 regions of the D. melanogaster genome were identified as critical for responses to p-xylene. This study reveals the strength of D. Melanogaster genetics as an accessible approach to study BTEX compounds.

苯，甲苯，乙苯和二甲苯（也称为BTEX）通过石油产品的探索和开采活动释放到环境介质中，对人类和动物有害。大规模测试这些化学药品的效果需要廉价，快速发展的模型生物，例如果蝇。在这项研究中，苯，甲苯，乙苯，对二甲苯，间二甲苯和邻二甲苯的毒理学特征黑腹果蝇被评估。监测成年动物的急性毒性作用。类似地，监测分别在相同化合物上饲养的第一龄幼虫的发育为成年果蝇的能力（羽化）。此外，在第三龄幼虫的成年祖细胞中研究了固定浓度的苯和二甲苯对细胞凋亡和有丝分裂的影响。甲苯对成年果蝇的毒性最大，LC ₅₀为0.166 mM，而苯，对二甲苯和邻二甲苯则观察到苍蝇的显着和剂量依赖性降低。在暴露于苯和对二甲苯的动物中也观察到凋亡和有丝分裂的增加。通过全基因组关联筛选（GWAS），黑腹果蝇基因组被鉴定为对对二甲苯反应的关键。这项研究揭示了D.黑奴 遗传学作为研究BTEX化合物的便捷途径。