Record Details
Accelerated food source location in aging Drosophila
ScholarsArchive at Oregon State University
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Title | Accelerated food source location in aging Drosophila |
| Names |
Egenriether, Sada
(creator) Giebultowcz, Jadwiga (advisor) |
| Date Issued | 2014-05-29 (iso8601) |
| Note | Bachelor of Science (BS) |
| Abstract | Adequate energy stores are essential for animal survival, and sophisticated neuroendocrine mechanisms evolved to stimulate foraging in response to nutrient deprivation. Food search behavior is usually investigated in young animals, and it is not known how aging alters this behavior. To address this question in Drosophila, we compared the ability to locate food by olfaction in young and old flies using a food-filled trap. As aging is associated with decline in motor functions, learning, and memory, we expected that aged flies would take longer to enter the food trap than their young counterparts. Surprisingly, old flies located food with significantly shorter latency than the young ones. We determined that old flies have significantly lower fat reserves and are more susceptible to starvation than young flies. Food search latency was shortened in young wild type flies that were starved until their fat was depleted. We also determined that the difference in food finding latency (FFL) between young and old flies is mediated by insulin signaling. Together, our data suggest that shorter FFL in old flies is linked to age-dependent differences in metabolic status. |
| Genre | Presentation |
| Topic | aging |
| Identifier | http://hdl.handle.net/1957/48600 |
