Oxygen Dependence of Flight Performance in Ageing Drosophila melanogaster.

ABSTRACT: Similar to humans, insects lose their physical and physiological capacities with age, which makes them a convenient study system for human ageing. Although insects have an efficient oxygen-transport system, we know little about how their flight capacity changes with age and environmental oxygen conditions. We measured two types of locomotor performance in ageing Drosophila melanogaster flies: the frequency of wing beats and the capacity to climb vertical surfaces. Flight performance was measured under normoxia and hypoxia. As anticipated, ageing flies showed systematic deterioration of climbing performance, and low oxygen impeded flight performance. Against predictions, flight performance did not deteriorate with age, and younger and older flies showed similar levels of tolerance to low ox

SUBMITTER: Privalova V 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8070683 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature