# DROSOPHILA LONGEVITY ASSURANCE GENES

> **NIH NIH R01** · UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA · 1993 · $197,674

## Abstract

The long term goals of this project are to identify genes which directly
affect the longevity of Drosophila, and ultimately, mammals.  The
candidates for this function in Drosophila are the heat shock genes, and
a number of other genes which have been found to be differentially
expressed at the transcriptional level during aging.  Any correlation of
their expression with longevity will be determined by examining RNA levels
in strains of flies which have been genetically selected for postponed
aging ("O" strains), and their controls ("B" strains).  A direct role in
regulating longevity will then be assayed by experimentally increasing and
decreasing the expression of the genes in transgenic flies.  These
experiments will involve the development of new vectors for overexpression
of candidate LAGs, and the creation of stocks exhibiting postponed aging
which are compatible with transgenic technologies.  Finally, any mammalian
homologs of Drosophila LAGs will be identified.  The specific aims are:

1. Analyze heat shock gene RNA expression in existing O & B strains.

2. Analyze expression of additional cloned candidate LAGs in existing O &
B strains.

3. Create ry506 and w1118 marked O and B strains: O[ry] & B[ry], and Ow &
Bw.

4. Create and test new inducible-overexpression transformation vectors,
and overexpress candidate LAGs in Drosophila strains, to analyze effects
on longevity.

5. Underexpress candidate LAGs in Drosophila strains, and analyze
longevity.

6. Introduce selected transformation constructs, and enhancer-traps with
aging-specific expression patterns, into new marked O[ry] and B[ry]
strains.

7. Identify and clone rodent and human homologs of Drosophila LAGs.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 3123544
- **Project number:** 1R01AG011644-01
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
- **SAM.gov UEI:** G88KLJR3KYT5
- **Principal Investigator:** JOHN Gerard TOWER
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 1993
- **Award amount:** $197,674
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 1993-09-01 → 1998-08-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/3123544

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 3123544, DROSOPHILA LONGEVITY ASSURANCE GENES (1R01AG011644-01). Retrieved via MORVS 2026-10-25 from https://api.morvs.ai/grant/nih/3123544. Licensed CC0.

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