Proper splicing contributes to visual function in the aging Drosophila eye.

ABSTRACT: Changes in splicing patterns are a characteristic of the aging transcriptome; however, it is unclear whether these age-related changes in splicing facilitate the progressive functional decline that defines aging. In Drosophila, visual behavior declines with age and correlates with altered gene expression in photoreceptors, including downregulation of genes encoding splicing factors. Here, we characterized the significance of these age-regulated splicing-associated genes in both splicing and visual function. To do this, we identified differential splicing events in either the entire eye or photoreceptors of young and old flies. Intriguingly, aging photoreceptors show differential splicing of a large number of visual function genes. In addition, as shown previously for aging photoreceptors,

SUBMITTER: Stegeman R 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6156539 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature