Behavioral and molecular markers of death in Drosophila melanogaster

Tower, John; Agrawal, Siddharth; Alagappan, Muthu Palaniappan; Bell, Hans S.; Demeter, Márton; Havanoor, Nitin; Hegde, Vinaykumar S.; Jia, Yiding; Kothawade, Suraj; Xinyi, Lin; Nadig, Chaitanya; Rajashekharappa, Naveen S.; Rao, D. V. Bhaskar; Rao, Sanjay Subba; Sancheti, Prathamesh; Saria, Anuj; Shantharamu, Nagarabhi H.; Sharma, Vatsal; Tadepalli, Karthik; Varma, Anuj

doi:10.1016/j.exger.2019.110707

Cited by 7 publications

(9 citation statements)

References 67 publications

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“…Parameters assayed in groups of flies can show correlation with age, whereas assay of individual flies is required to demonstrate the ability of a parameter to predict death. Correlated parameters include negative geotaxis behavior (climbing away from gravity), centrophobism behavior (preferential exploration of the outer edges of the container), and walking speed, each of which decreases with age in males and females ( Grotewiel et al, 2005 ; Jahn et al, 2011 ; Jones and Grotewiel, 2011 ; Tower et al, 2019 ). The decreased walking speed is reported to be a major driver of the decreased negative geotaxis behavior ( Rhodenizer et al, 2008 ).…”

Section: Parameters That Correlate With Increased Age and Rate Of Deathmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Studies in mammals implicate incomplete lysosomal degradation of damaged mitochondria in the generation of age pigments ( Gray and Woulfe, 2005 ). Pigments in the male and female Drosophila eye also become darker with age ( Tower et al, 2014 ; Tower et al, 2019 ). Markers of cell death, including increased caspase activity and nuclear DNA fragmentation, increase with age in muscle and fat-body tissue ( Zheng et al, 2005 ).…”

Section: Parameters That Correlate With Increased Age and Rate Of Deathmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Green autofluorescence in the eye and body of male and female Drosophila increases several hours prior to death, and continues to increase after death ( Tower et al, 2019 ). Similarly, when GFP expression is targeted to the retinal tissue of adult male and female flies, GFP fluorescence increases several hours prior to death, and continues to increase after death (( Tower et al, 2019 ); see video Clip 1 and Clip 2).…”

Section: Markers Occurring Proximal To Deathmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Markers and mechanisms of death in Drosophila

Tower

2023

Front. Aging

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Parameters correlated with age and mortality in Drosophila melanogaster include decreased negative geotaxis and centrophobism behaviors, decreased climbing and walking speed, and darkened pigments in oenocytes and eye. Cessation of egg laying predicts death within approximately 5 days. Endogenous green fluorescence in eye and body increases hours prior to death. Many flies exhibit erratic movement hours before death, often leading to falls. Loss of intestinal barrier integrity (IBI) is assayed by feeding blue dye (“Smurf” phenotype), and Smurf flies typically die within 0–48 h. Some studies report most flies exhibit Smurf, whereas multiple groups report most flies die without exhibiting Smurf. Transgenic reporters containing heat shock gene promoters and innate immune response gene promoters progressively increase expression with age, and partly predict remaining life span. Innate immune reporters increase with age in every fly, prior to any Smurf phenotype, in presence or absence of antibiotics. Many flies die on their side or supine (on their back) position. The data suggest three mechanisms for death of Drosophila. One is loss of IBI, as revealed by Smurf assay. The second is nervous system malfunction, leading to erratic behavior, locomotor malfunction, and falls. The aged fly is often unable to right itself after a fall to a side-ways or supine position, leading to inability to access the food and subsequent dehydration/starvation. Finally, some flies die upright without Smurf phenotype, suggesting a possible third mechanism. The frequency of these mechanisms varies between strains and culture conditions, which may affect efficacy of life span interventions.

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Section: Parameters That Correlate With Increased Age and Rate Of Deathmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Parameters That Correlate With Increased Age and Rate Of Deathmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Markers Occurring Proximal To Deathmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Markers and mechanisms of death in Drosophila

Tower

2023

Front. Aging

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“…A note is also worth to be provided on the increase in the endogenous green AF detectable under blue light excitation in the eye and in the body of Drosophila soon after death [ 151 ]. The origin of this AF has yet to be clarified and it may be particularly useful to be further explored as potential biomarker of aging and death.…”

Section: Autofluorescence In Dipteramentioning

confidence: 99%

Autofluorescent Biomolecules in Diptera: From Structure to Metabolism and Behavior

Croce

Scolari

2022

Molecules

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Light-based phenomena in insects have long attracted researchers’ attention. Surface color distribution patterns are commonly used for taxonomical purposes, while optically-active structures from Coleoptera cuticle or Lepidoptera wings have inspired technological applications, such as biosensors and energy accumulation devices. In Diptera, besides optically-based phenomena, biomolecules able to fluoresce can act as markers of bio-metabolic, structural and behavioral features. Resilin or chitinous compounds, with their respective blue or green-to-red autofluorescence (AF), are commonly related to biomechanical and structural properties, helpful to clarify the mechanisms underlying substrate adhesion of ectoparasites’ leg appendages, or the antennal abilities in tuning sound detection. Metarhodopsin, a red fluorescing photoproduct of rhodopsin, allows to investigate visual mechanisms, whereas NAD(P)H and flavins, commonly relatable to energy metabolism, favor the investigation of sperm vitality. Lipofuscins are AF biomarkers of aging, as well as pteridines, which, similarly to kynurenines, are also exploited in metabolic investigations. Beside the knowledge available in Drosophila melanogaster, a widely used model to study also human disorder and disease mechanisms, here we review optically-based studies in other dipteran species, including mosquitoes and fruit flies, discussing future perspectives for targeted studies with various practical applications, including pest and vector control.

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“…As a result, fruit flies can be exploited in demographic, aging and behavioral research [ 8 – 11 ]. Changes in spontaneous behavior and locomotory activity in relation to age had been described in Drosophila species and the Mediterranean fruit fly (medfly), Ceratitis capitata (Wiedemann) (Diptera: Tephritidae), providing insights to understand the aging process [ 8 , 11 – 15 ].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Electronic recording of lifetime locomotory activity patterns of adult medflies

et al. 2022

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Age-specific and diurnal patterns of locomotory activity, can be considered as biomarkers of aging in model organisms and vary across the lifetime of individuals. Τhe Mediterranean fruit fly (medfly), Ceratitis capitata, is a commonly used model-species in studies regarding demography and aging. In the present study, we introduce a modification of the automated locomotory activity electronic device LAM25system (Locomotory Activity Monitor)–Trikinetics, commonly used in short time studies, to record the daily locomotory activity patterns of adult medflies throughout the life. Additionally, fecundity rates and survival of adult medflies were recorded. Male and female medflies were kept in the system tubes and had access to an agar-based gel diet, which provided water and nutrients. The locomotory activity was recorded at every minute by three monitors in the electronic device. The locomotory activity of females was higher than that of males across the different ages. For both sexes locomotory rates were high during the first 20 days of the adult life and decreased in older ages. The activity of males was high in the morning and late afternoon hours, while that of females was constantly high throughout the photophase. Negligible locomotory activity was recorded for both sexes during the nighttime. Males outlived females. Fecundity of females was higher in younger ages. Our results support the adoption of LAM25system in studies addressing aging of insects using medfly as a model organism.

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Behavioral and molecular markers of death in Drosophila melanogaster

Cited by 7 publications

References 67 publications

Markers and mechanisms of death in Drosophila

Markers and mechanisms of death in Drosophila

Autofluorescent Biomolecules in Diptera: From Structure to Metabolism and Behavior

Electronic recording of lifetime locomotory activity patterns of adult medflies

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