title: Long-lived genotypes for studies of life extension in Drosophila melanogaster.
abstract: Numerous single-gene mutations obtained by insertion of P elements in white (w) genetic backgrounds have been reported to extend the life span of Drosophila melanogaster, but life extension is sometimes observed only in relatively short-lived backgrounds. The objective of this study was to develop long- and short-lived, high and low fertility backgrounds in which to test the reproducibility and possible additivity of effects of prospective life-extending treatments. Flies previously reported to be long- or short-lived, following artificial selection for early or delayed reproduction and inbreeding, were rendered essentially isogenic, and a w visible marker was introduced. Isogeny adversely affected both life span and fertility, but w had little or no effect on either trait. Unexpectedly, none of these lines or a stock under uninterrupted selection for delayed reproduction lived any longer than an unselected, highly fertile y w strain used in earlier studies of longevity. Strains derived from one artificial selection experiment were found to contain functional P elements, as did the two longest-lived genotypes in this study, which were inbred without artificial selection. The y w background appears to be at least equally as long-lived as any other currently available for tests of life extension by P{w(+)} mutations.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical Sciences, HAHN 4025, University of South Alabama, 5721 USA Drive N., Mobile, AL 36688-0002, USA. mockett@usouthal.edu
authors.forename: Robin J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Mockett
authors.forename: Jordan Ciza
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Cockrell
authors.forename: Shruti
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Puri
authors.forename: Mye
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nguyen
authors.forename: Mehran
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nisa
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004331:Drosophila melanogaster / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D005298:Fertility / Q000235:genetics; D005838:Genotype; D008136:Longevity / Q000235:genetics*; D008297:Male