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Life-span reduction in a Drosophila melanogaster strain deficient in excision rapair

Patricia E. Fernández; Enzo R. Muñoz

Departamento de Radiobiología, Comisión Nacional de Energia Atómica, Av. Libertador 8250, 1429 Buenos Aires, Argentina. Send correspondence to E.R.M.

ABSTRACT

The role played by excision repair in the life-span of Drosophila melanogaster was evaluated. The median and maximal life of virgin females and males carrying the X-linked excision repair deficient mei-9^a mutant were compared with those of repair proficient flies. Although the distribution of deaths of mei-9^a females and males exhibits a higher scattering than that of repair proficient flies, the four life-curves obtained are rectangular. Under the experimental conditions used this fact led us to conclude that in the populations analyzed death is due to senescence. It was also found that the median and maximal life of repair deficient flies are significantly lower than those of the control. The results obtained are attributed to the accumulation of unrepaired or incorrectly repaired DNA damage in mei-9^a flies and thus lend support to the view that DNA repair plays an important role in the determination of longevity.

Keywords: Life-span; Drosophila melanogaster; Excision repair.

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