The Fruit Fly Drosophila melanogaster as a Model for Aging Research
Average human life expectancy is increasing and so is the impact on society of aging and age-related diseases. Here we highlight recent advances in the diverse and multidisciplinary field of aging research, focusing on the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaste
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The Fruit Fly Drosophila melanogaster as a Model for Aging Research Annely Brandt and Andreas Vilcinskas
Abstract Average human life expectancy is increasing and so is the impact on society of aging and age-related diseases. Here we highlight recent advances in the diverse and multidisciplinary field of aging research, focusing on the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster, an excellent model system in which to dissect the genetic and molecular basis of the aging processes. The conservation of human disease genes in D. melanogaster allows the functional analysis of orthologues implicated in human aging and age-related diseases. D. melanogaster models have been developed for a variety of age-related processes and disorders, including stem cell decline, Alzheimer’s disease, and cardiovascular deterioration. Understanding the detailed molecular events involved in normal aging and age-related diseases could facilitate the development of strategies and treatments that reduce their impact, thus improving human health and increasing longevity.
Keywords Adult stem cells Age-related diseases Aging Dietary restriction Drosophila melanogaster Drug discovery Hutchinson–Gilford progeria syndrome
Abbreviations APH-1 aPKC APP Ab BACE bp GFP
Anterior pharynx-defective 1 Atypical protein kinase C Amyloid precursor protein Amyloid-b b-site APP cleaving enzyme 1 Base pairs Green fluorescent protein
A. Brandt Department of Bioresources, Fraunhofer Institute of Molecular Biology and Applied Ecology, Winchester Str. 2, 35395 Giessen, Germany A. Vilcinskas (&) Institute of Phytopathology and Applied Zoology, Justus-Liebig-University of Giessen, Heinrich-Buff-Ring 26-32, 39592 Giessen, Germany e-mail: [email protected]
A. Brandt and A. Vilcinskas
HGPS KCNQ LMNA MHC PDGF PEN-2 PVF2 RNAi UAS VEGF ZMPSTE24
Hutchinson–Gilford progeria syndrome Potassium channel, KQT-like subfamily Lamin A gene Myosin heavy chain Platelet-derived growth factor Presenilin enhancer 2 PDGF/VEGF-like factor 2 RNA interference Upstream activating sequence Vascular endothelial growth factor Zinc metalloproteinase homologous to yeast Ste24
Contents 1 2
Aging Research ....................................................................................................................... Drosophila melanogaster in Aging Research ........................................................................ 2.1 Transgenic Systems for Longevity Analysis ................................................................. 2.2 Multipotent Adult Stem Cells in D. melanogaster........................................................ 2.3 Dietary Restriction.......................................................................................................... 3 Using D. melanogaster to Model Human Diseases ............................................................... 3.1 Alzheimer’s Disease ....................................................................................................... 3.2 D. melanogaster Age-Related Cardiovascular D
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