DROSOPHILA LONGEVITY ASSURANCE GENES

该项目的长期目标是确定直接影响基因表达的基因。 影响人类衰老和健康寿命的基因，称为长寿保证基因 （LAGs）。果蝇Drosophila melanogaster被用作模型 由于其寿命短，易于识别， 文化，以及许多可以应用的遗传和分子工具 它的研究。果蝇和人类衰老的相似之处 细胞和分子水平表明， 果蝇可能有功能同源物。选定了7个候选LAG 从已知的果蝇基因中分离出来。这些基因 参与应激反应，DNA修复和能量 储存，并且每种都具有已知的人类功能同源物。的基因 将通过实验测试对果蝇寿命的影响， 增加和减少它们在转基因果蝇中的活性。在 此外，还将进行遗传筛选，以确定新的果蝇 LAGS。这些屏幕将利用新开发的P型转座 一种叫做PdL的诱变剂。PdL创建显性条件 突变，这将极大地促进识别， 新的果蝇LAG的表征和克隆。

The long term goal of this project is to identify genes which directly affect human aging and health span, called Longevity Assurance Genes (LAGs). The fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster is used as a model organism for identifying LAGs because of its short life span, ease of culture, and the many genetic and molecular tools which can be applied to its study. The similarities between aging in Drosophila and humans at the cellular and molecular level suggest that LAGs identified in Drosophila may have functional homologs. 7 candidate LAGs were selected from known Drosophila genes based on several criteria. The genes are involved are involved in stress responses, DNA repair and energy storage, and each has known functional homologs in humans. The genes will be tested for effects on Drosophila life span by experimentally increasing and decreasing their activity in transgenic flies. In addition, genetic screens will be performed to identify novel Drosophila LAGs. These screens will utilize a newly-developed P-type transposable element as a mutagen, called PdL. PdL creates dominant conditional mutations, which should greatly facilitate the identification, characterization and cloning of novel Drosophila LAGs.