Ascorbic acid in Drosophila and changes during aging.
The ascorbic acid content of Drosophila melanogaster was found to be high in the absence of a dietary source. The amount of ascorbic acid per fly declined with aging in both the Oregon R and Swedish C strains. The median life span at 25 degrees C was 45 days for Swedish C and 59 days for Oregon R. The amount of ascorbic acid in Swedish C flies (0.078 micrograms/fly) was higher than that for Oregon R (0.058 micrograms/fly) for newly emerged flies but the rate of decline with aging was greater for Swedish C than Oregon R. The decline in ascorbic acid content with aging was 70.4% for Swedish C versus 19.9% for Oregon R. A brief cold shock was found to significantly increase the amount of ascorbic acid in Oregon R flies. Feeding the precursor of ascorbic acid synthesis, L-gulonolactone, did not improve the life span. Life-time feeding of ascorbic acid did not improve the life span of either Swedish C or Oregon R flies.
Massie
H R
HR
Masonic Medical Research Laboratory, Utica, New York 13501.
Shumway
M E
ME
Whitney
S J
SJ
Sternick
S M
SM
Aiello
V R
VR
D000375:Aging / Q000378:metabolism*; D000818:Animals; D001205:Ascorbic Acid / Q000378:metabolism*; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D003080:Cold Temperature; D004032:Diet; D004330:Drosophila / Q000378:metabolism*; D004355:Drug Stability; D011355:Prodrugs / Q000008:administration & dosage; D012769:Shock / Q000378:metabolism
D011355:Prodrugs; D001205:Ascorbic Acid