<i>Drosophila</i> cells undergo apoptosis in response to diverse stresses.

<p>(A) <i>Drosophila</i> D-Mel2 cells were treated with staurosporine (STS; 50 nM), actinomycin D (Act D; 600 nM), etoposide (10 µM) cycloheximide (CHX; 25 µM), or left untreated. The percentage of cells undergoing apoptosis in each culture was determined by direct morphological assessment after 18 h. (B) D-Mel2 cells were treated with actinomycin D (600 nM), cycloheximide (25 µM) daunorubicin, (20 µM), or left untreated, and phase contrast images were taken at 18 h. (C) D-Mel2 cells treated for 18 h with etoposide (10 µM), cycloheximide (25 µM) or actinomycin D (600 nM), or left untreated, were analysed by flow cytometry to determine the degree of cell death. The percentage of viable cells in each culture is indicated on each dot plot. (D) <i>Drosophila</i> D-Mel2 cells were treated either with actinomycin D (600 nM), cycloheximide (25 µM), etoposide (10 µM), or daunorubicin (20 µM), or left untreated. Cell lysates were prepared from treated cells after 18 h and levels of DEVD-AFC hydrolysis activity measured by the addition of lysate samples to reactions containing 50 µM DEVD-AFC, followed by measurement of the release of free AFC by fluorimetry. (E) <i>Drosophila</i> D-Mel2 cells were either left untreated, or were treated with actinomycin D (600 nM) in the presence or absence of z-VAD-fmk (20 µM). After 18 h, percentages of viable cells were measured by flow cytometry. Results are representative of three independent experiments.