ROLE OF HETEROCHROMATIN VARIATION IN THE LONGEVITY AND GENE EXPRESSION PROFILES OF HETEROCHROMATIC AND AGING-ASSOCIATED GENES IN D. MELANOGASTER

This study aimed to explore the effects of changes in heterochromatin levels on the process of aging in D. melanogaster. X/O and XXY karyotypes, lacking and carrying an added copy of Y chromosome, respectively, were generated, and their average lifespan relative to that of the normal XY males and XX females was measured. My goal was to see if changing the heterochromatin levels would impact the longevity of these karyotypes. Next, the expression profiles of the heterochromatic and aging genes in different karyotypes of the fruit fly models were studies. The expression profiles of the heterochromatic and aging genes differentially varied between X/O vs XY males, and XX vs XXY females from 2-days y1/Dp(1;Y)Bs stock. The differential gene expression patterns were confirmed between the same karyotypes at 60 days, as well as between the Df(2R)Ms2-10/CyO, S males and females which carried heterochromatic deletion from the right arm of chromosome 2.