| The genetic aspects of caloric restriction are virtually unknown for any species. Throughout the history of genetic research, Drosophila melanogaster has been an ideal tool for the elusion of genes involved in various biochemical pathways. In this experiment I have used a selection regimen to design lines of Drosophila melanogaster that are either slow feeding or fast feeding in the presence of an abundant food supply. As a result of the imposed selection these lines also differ in the allocation of resources, specifically in lipid storage and in adult life span. The involvement of three genes, Cu-ZnSOD, CATALASE and HSP70, known to be important for extended life span in C. elegans and Drosophila melanogaster were investigated to determine if increased expression of these genes manipulates the extended adult life span. This experiment has shown that caloric restriction has a genetic component and therefore responds directly to selection for feeding behavior, allowing for the determination of the genes involved in controlling caloric restriction. The caloric restricted lines of Drosophila melanogaster show the same life extending properties, namely increased expression with age of Cu-ZnSOD, CATALASE, and HSP70, and decreased allocation of lipid stores as found in mice. This indicated the extended life span resulting from caloric restriction is an evolutionarily conserved mechanism that may be imposed on higher mammals including primates. |
