Motus Vita Est: Fruit Flies Need to Be More Active and Sleep Less to Adapt to Either a Longer or Harder Life

Abstract

Background: Activity plays a very important role in keeping bodies strong and healthy, slowing senescence, and decreasing morbidity and mortality. Drosophila models of evolution under various selective pressures can be used to examine whether increased activity and decreased sleep duration are associated with the adaptation of this nonhuman species to longer or harder lives. Methods: For several years, descendants of wild flies were reared in a laboratory without and with selection pressure. To maintain the “salt” and “starch” strains, flies from the wild population (called “control”) were reared on two adverse food substrates. The “long-lived” strain was maintained through artificial selection for late reproduction. The 24 h patterns of locomotor activity and sleep in flies from the selected and unselected strains (902 flies in total) were studied in constant darkness for at least, 5 days. Results: Compared to the control flies, flies from the selected strains demonstrated enhanced locomotor activity and reduced sleep duration. The most profound increase in locomotor activity was observed in flies from the starch (short-lived) strain. Additionally, the selection changed the 24 h patterns of locomotor activity and sleep. For instance, the morning and evening peaks of locomotor activity were advanced and delayed, respectively, in flies from the long-lived strain. Conclusion: Flies become more active and sleep less in response to various selection pressures. These beneficial changes in trait values might be relevant to trade-offs among fitness-related traits, such as body weight, fecundity, and longevity.

Neuronal mechanisms regulating locomotion in adult Drosophila

“…Consequently, the elucidation of their function in Drosophila can be applied to understanding the similar role of the genes in mammals. Additionally, comparing the locomotion mechanisms between Drosophila and mammals can provide insights into the evolution of movement in animals and shed light on the adaptive significance of various locomotor‐related traits (Zakharenko et al., 2023). Discoveries in translational research in Drosophila models can provide valuable therapeutic insights into the treatment of locomotor disorders in mammals, including humans.…”

“…Drosophila and mammals can provide insights into the evolution of movement in animals and shed light on the adaptive significance of various locomotor-related traits (Zakharenko et al, 2023).…”

Two Old Wild-Type Strains of Drosophila melanogaster Can Serve as an Animal Model of Faster and Slower Aging Processes

“…The majority of methods applied for the collection and analysis of data in the present study were previously described in two of our previous publications [17,37].…”

“…Consequently, one of the major purposes of the present study was to test whether Canton-S and Harwich differ in such life-history traits as longevity, fecundity, rate of development, metabolism, level of activity, and amount of sleep. Although the two latter traits are not usually listed among life-history traits, their importance in this respect can be exemplified by the fact that Drosophila melanogaster needs to be more active and sleep less to adapt to either a longer or harder life [17].…”