Abstract: 【Aim】To assess the effects of superoxide dismutases (SODs) from different sources on development of the fruit fly, Drosophila melanogaster.【Methods】 The effects of four SODs, i.e., the SOD extracted from Musca domestica, human extracellular SOD (hEC-SOD) expressed via Pichia pastoris, Paecilomyces sinensis SOD (ps-SOD) expressed via Saccharomyces cerevisiae and commercial SOD, on the lifespan, fecundity and tolerance to environmental stress of D. melanogaster was evaluated. 【Results】All SODs added in the diets prolonged significantly the average lifespan of D. melanogaster by 8.09%-12.38% for females and 12.01%-15.86% for males, and increased the number of F1 offsprings by 25.94%-30.07% for females and 21.75%-39.54% for males, respectively. The tolerance to heat exposure and UV-radiation of the fruit fly was related with the concentration of SOD in the diets. Fed on the diet with the high concentration of SOD, the lifespan of heat-exposed fruit flies increased by 7.45%-9.88% for females and 13.46%-15.12% for males, while UV-radiated flies had 13.47%-20.47% longer lifespan for females and 16.49%-23.73% for males, respectively. 【Conclusion】 The four SODs prolonged the lifespan of D. melanogaster, and enhanced its fecundity and tolerance to environmental stress; however, the differences in above effects between the four SODs tested were not significant in most cases. These findings offer important data for commercialization of SODs from different sources.

Key words: Drosophila melanogaster, superoxide dismutase (SOD), lifespan, fecundity, stress resistance