title: Age-related changes in the activities of respiratory chain complexes and mitochondrial morphology in Drosophila.
abstract: Using Drosophila melanogaster, we examined changes in the activities of some of the respiratory enzyme complexes with age. The age-related decreases of enzyme activities were observed especially in complex I. We also examined changes in the ultrastructure of mitochondria in the flight muscles of thoraces. The results indicated that the mitochondrial size varied more widely in aged flies than in young ones, in addition to the slight increase in the average size with age. These changes had already appeared before the survival began to decrease, clearly indicating that the accumulation of such changes seriously damages mitochondrial function.
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Biology & Biochemistry, Ochanomizu University, Otsuka, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 112-8610, Japan.
authors.forename: Yukiko
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Oda
authors.forename: Ryoko
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Yui
authors.forename: Kimitoshi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Sakamoto
authors.forename: Kiyoshi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kita
authors.forename: Etsuko T
authors.initials: ET
authors.lastname: Matsuura
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000818:Animals; D004331:Drosophila melanogaster / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000502:physiology*; D045222:Electron Transport Chain Complex Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008928:Mitochondria / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D009132:Muscles / Q000648:ultrastructure
chemical_list: D045222:Electron Transport Chain Complex Proteins