Increased sleep promotes survival during a bacterial infection in Drosophila.

ABSTRACT:

Study objectives

The relationship between sleep and immune function is not well understood at a functional or molecular level. We therefore used a genetic approach in Drosophila to manipulate sleep and evaluated effects on the ability of flies to fight bacterial infection.

Setting

Laboratory.

Participants

Drosophila melanogaster.

Methods and results

We used a genetic approach to transiently alter neuronal excitability in the mushroom body, a region in the central brain that is known to regulate sleep. Flies with increased sleep for up to two days prior to a bacterial infection showed increased resistance to the infection and improved survival. These flies also had increased expression levels of a subset of anti-microbial peptide mRNA prior to infection, as well

SUBMITTER: Kuo TH 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4015381 | biostudies-literature | 2014 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature