Location
University of Nevada, Las Vegas
Start Date
3-8-2010 9:00 AM
End Date
3-8-2010 12:00 PM
Description
The life cycle of holometabolous insects is distinctly divided into three life stages: the larval, pupal, and adult stages. During the larval stage, animals accumulate energy stores in the larval fat body to be later used in the pupal and adult stages. I determined how this accumulated energy is stored in adult Drosophila melanogaster that have been selected for resistance to starvation for >40 generations. I assayed carbohydrates, proteins, and lipids and found that 0 day old starvation selected flies have almost four times as much lipid content, twice as much carbohydrate, and a fairly equal amount of protein versus fed control flies. The reproductive rates of the flies, measured by the number of eggs laid, were determined using a fecundity assay. I found that starvation selected flies lay significantly fewer eggs than fed control flies. Investigation of the allocation of energy stores suggests that there is a trade-off between higher storage of lipid and carbohydrate in starvation selected flies that causes decreases in fecundity.
Keywords
Drosophila Melanogaster; Fertility; Fruit-flies; Lipids; Starvation
Disciplines
Life Sciences | Nutrition
Language
English
Effects of starvation selection on nutrient allocation and fecundity in Drosophila Melanogaster
University of Nevada, Las Vegas
The life cycle of holometabolous insects is distinctly divided into three life stages: the larval, pupal, and adult stages. During the larval stage, animals accumulate energy stores in the larval fat body to be later used in the pupal and adult stages. I determined how this accumulated energy is stored in adult Drosophila melanogaster that have been selected for resistance to starvation for >40 generations. I assayed carbohydrates, proteins, and lipids and found that 0 day old starvation selected flies have almost four times as much lipid content, twice as much carbohydrate, and a fairly equal amount of protein versus fed control flies. The reproductive rates of the flies, measured by the number of eggs laid, were determined using a fecundity assay. I found that starvation selected flies lay significantly fewer eggs than fed control flies. Investigation of the allocation of energy stores suggests that there is a trade-off between higher storage of lipid and carbohydrate in starvation selected flies that causes decreases in fecundity.
Comments
Poster research sponsored by NIH INBRE